Man convicted for funding terrorist fighter

A man has been convicted of terrorism offences after sending money to his nephew in Syria, knowing it was to be used to fund his terrorist activity.

Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command found that 45-year-old Farhad Mohammad arranged for $350.00 over two payments to be sent to his nephew, Idris Usman.

The investigation was carried out by specialist investigators within the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, which is based within the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

The investigation also found that Usman was was fighting for the terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in Syria at the time. The group is a proscribed organisation in the UK.

On 26 April, after a trial at the Old Bailey, Mohammed was found found guilty of two terrorism funding offences.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said:“Terrorist groups rely on financial support and funding to be able to operate. While Mohammad’s contributions may not have been vast sums, he was well aware his nephew wanted the money to purchase a firearm and to help fund his fighting in Syria.

“Groups like Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham cause huge misery, terror and devastation. If you knowingly fund someone - family member or not - who is part of a group like that, then it is helping a terrorist organisation and it is something we take extremely seriously.”