Swiss woman charged with 'jihadi tourism' after travelling to Syria with toddler to join Isis

A mother has become the second person in Switzerland to be charged with 'jihadi tourism' after trying to join Isis in Syria.

The 30-year-old woman tried to enter Syria via Greece and Turkey with her four-year-old child in December 2015, where she planned to join Isis fighters. She was prevented from crossing the border by Greek authorities and was arrested on her return to Switzerland.

She was charged at Switzerland's federal criminal court on Friday (25 August). Federal spokesman André Marty told local media that the woman had become radicalised after viewing Isis propaganda online.

Marty said that the woman had broken a Swiss law established in 2014 that prohibits any activity by Isis, Al-Qaeda and other terror groups at home or abroad, as well as any support for terrorist organisations.

The woman is the second person to have been charged as a 'jihadi tourist.' Last year, a 26-year-old man was handed an 18-month suspended jail sentence after he was found guilty of attempting to travel to Syria and join Isis.

He was charged after an investigation revealed that he had carried out "intense research" into the terror group. The court said the man intended to travel to Istanbul "with a view to joining Isis and dying as a martyr".

Switzerland is looking to tighten its anti-terror laws after a record 65 citizens were revealed in May to have joined terror groups abroad. The public prosecutor is currently pursuing some 60 people for terror offences.