Two British men jailed on terrorism charges

Two British men who were caught trying to leave the UK have been sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to terrorism offences. The south-east counter terrorism unit (Sectu) said in a statement that Mohammed Mayow and Mohanned Jasim had been sentenced after pleading guilty to terrorism offences at the Old Bailey in London, but admitted that they were unable to find out exactly where the men were headed or what their intentions were. Det Supt Ian Hunter, head of investigations for Sectu, said: “These arrests were a direct result of good work by Kent police officers at the port of Dover who intervened to stop them leaving the country. Whilst we cannot be certain exactly where Mayow and Jasim were heading or what they intended to do, the subsequent investigation enabled these offences to be identified and today’s sentences reflect the seriousness of sharing extremist material.” Mayow, 23, from Hayes, Middlesex, pleaded guilty to six counts of ‘distribution or circulation of a terrorist publication’ and was sentenced to five years and two months’ imprisonment. Images have since been released of him draped in the black flag of jihad. Jasim has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to ‘two counts of publication of a statement, and at the time of publishing, intended or was reckless as to whether members of the public would be directly or indirectly encouraged or otherwise induced by the statement to commit, prepare or instigate acts of terrorism’. It has been reported that approximately 600 UK residents have been prevented from attempting to fly to Syria following intensified border agency operations. May of the suspects have been apprehended at UK airports and others seized on planes and trains arriving in Istanbul, Turkey.