British man admits trying to join ISIS, faces life in prison
A 24-year-old man arrested last year after traveling to Turkey and tried to reach Syria has admitted his intention to join ISIS.
Shamim Ahmed of Stepney has pleaded guilty to preparing for acts of terrorism.
“By pleading guilty Ahmed has admitted his intention was to join ISIS, a terrorist organisation, at a time when there was no doubt of the atrocities that they were committing. That makes him a very dangerous individual,” Commander Dean Haydon, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said.
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According to the Metropolitan Police, on 11 January 2016, Ahmed flew from London Gatwick to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. On arrival in Istanbul, Ahmed checked into a hotel, paying for five nights’ accommodation but the following day, Ahmed booked a ticket for a flight from Istanbul to Gaziantep, by the Syrian border – he travelled there on 13 January 2016.
Police say the following day, Ahmed left Gaziantep and at about 10:45hrs was detained at Oncupinar Border Crossing by the Turkish authorities. Two days later, the Turkish Authorities deported Ahmed back to the United Kingdom where he was met by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command – he was arrested on suspicion of preparing for acts of terrorism and subsequently charged.
Ahmed will be sentenced in June. The maximum penalty for preparation of terrorist acts is life imprisonment.
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