London teenage jihadis who wanted to fight in Syria trained with paintball sessions after one 16-year-old sold his Playstation and worked for Deliveroo to fund their plot before they were rumbled by a school

  • Group of teens set up group on encrypted app to chat about fighting in Syria
  • Two brother took out a gym subscription to 'increase their fitness' for battle
  • Another 17-year-old planned to sell his Playstation to fund the trip abroad
  • They were caught by anti-terror police and two have now been jailed 

Two brothers from London who plotted with their teenage friends to fight with jihadists in Syria face jail after a school tipped off anti-terror police about their plans.

Ahmedeltigani Alsyed, now 20, and Yusef Alsyed, 18, took out a gym subscription to 'increase their fitness' and attended a paintball event to train for battle with ISIS

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Mohammed Ali and a 17-year-old Deliveroo driver, who cannot be named, booked plane tickets and travel documents to the war torn country.

They had contacted a terrorist fixer, bought tickets to travel to Turkey and packed camping gear and two kitchen knives ready for the trip on Valentine's Day last year.  

The four of them chatted on encrypted messaging app Telegram, under a group called 'Peace', about how to join the terrorist group throughout 2016.

Mohammed Ali was among a group of teenage jihadis who wanted to fight in Syria before the plan was uncovered by a school
Ahmedeltigani Alsyed was among a group of teenage jihadis who wanted to fight in Syria before the plan was uncovered by a school

Mohammed Ali and Ahmedeltigani Alsyed were among a group of teenage jihadis who wanted to fight in Syria before the plan was uncovered by a school

The 17-year-old planned to sell his Playstation games console and get his cousin to steal a mobile phone in order to raise some spending money.  

Ali was jailed for four years and two months and the 17-year-old was detained for two years and eight months at the Old Bailey last November, but the case can only be reported today.

Prosecutor Annabell Darlow, QC, said Ali and the 17-year-old believed that in death they would 'achieve martyrdom.'

She said Yusuf came to the attention of police through the government anti-extremism strategy Prevent.

Yusef Alsyed came to the attention of police through the government's anti-extremism strategy Prevent

Yusef Alsyed came to the attention of police through the government's anti-extremism strategy Prevent

She said: 'Alsyeds' family went on holiday to Egypt between 25 June and 10 August 2016.

'Upon their return all subject to schedule seven searches and had their mobile phones seized.'

Analysis of the phones showed contact with a facilitator in Yemen about potential travel to Libya or Syria.

Ali was attracted by the 'brotherhood' aspect of Islamic extremism after a 'very sad and very traumatic childhood', according to the prosecution. 

Social workers have been engaged with his family for 'many years' due to a 'serious conflict' between his parents.

He was said to have expressed suicidal thoughts when he was just eight years old.

Ali had been shopped to the authorities by a close friend as he prepared to leave the UK, the court heard.

His school mate of six years 'noted his increased interest in Islam in December 2016' when he asked about getting electronic visas to travel to Iran or Syria so he could 'practise his religion'.

Ali told his friend he thought Isis 'weren't really Muslims' and said he planned to join rebel forces fighting Bashar al-Assad's vicious regime.

The group of teenage jihadis from London plotted to go to Syria to fight for radical groups

The group of teenage jihadis from London plotted to go to Syria to fight for radical groups

During a series of encrypted Telegram chats Yusef Alsyed told Ali 'if you get martyrdom before me please tell Allah I love him'.

The Alsyed brothers today admitted preparing to commit acts of terrorism at Woolwich Crown Court.

The four plotted their move to the Middle East on encrypted messaging app Telegram

The four plotted their move to the Middle East on encrypted messaging app Telegram

The pair, who embraced each other in the dock before the hearing started, also admitted disseminating a terrorist publication and possessing information likely to be useful to a person preparing acts of terrorism.

According to the charge, they shared a video called 'Crusades, Battles and Executions of Prisoners of Daesh' between each other.

Judge Andrew Lees remanded the brothers in custody ahead of sentence on 9 March.

Ali, of Morden, south London, and the 17-year-old previously admitted preparing acts of terrorism. They insist they did not plan to fight for ISIS but another radical group.

Ahmedeltigani Alsyed, and Yusuf Alsyed, of Feltham, Middlesex, admitted preparing acts of terrorism and disseminating terrorism publication.

Ahmedeltigani also admitted possessing information likely to be useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism.

 

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