Jamshed Javeed, a chemistry teacher in Manchester, had been preparing to leave his home after helping his younger brother Mohammed make the trip to Syria…reports Kaliph Anaz
A chemistry teacher in Manchester who was poised to travel to Syria to join ISIS has been jailed for nine years.
Jamshed Javeed was “determined to fight jihad” despite pleas from his family not to, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
Javeed, 30, who admitted terror offences, claimed in court he wanted to go to support ordinary Syrians.
He was arrested in December 2013 hours before he was set to leave the UK.
Javeed, a teacher at Sharples High School in Bolton, had been preparing to leave his home on Cringle Road, Levenshulme, after helping his younger brother Mohammed make the trip to Syria.
The teacher’s relatives initially foiled his plans by hiding his passport but he persisted even after learning his wife was pregnant. Police found £1,490 in cash, thermal gloves and combat-style trousers in a rucksack during a search at his home.
Sentencing Judge Topolski praised the “resolve and courage” of Javeed’s family in attempting to scupper his plans.
His family was also commended by Det Ch Supt Mole for taking “brave steps” to try to prevent him flying out to Syria before his arrest.
Javeed was an otherwise law-abiding, father-of-one, who worked as a science teacher at Sharples High School, Bolton, at the time of the offences.
In August 2013 a family member started to notice that his appearance and behaviour had started to change and that he was beginning to hold more radical views. Between September and November 2013 four associates travelled to Syria for terrorism-related purposes, supported by Javeed, before he planned to travel to the country himself. He bought equipment for himself and for ISIS fighters to use once he arrived in Syria.
In December 2013 his family grew suspicious of his behaviour and his parents hid his passport and “go-bag” so Javeed applied for a new passport fraudulently. By this time he’d also been sent a shopping list of equipment to buy to help ISIS fighters. This included outdoor equipment, batteries, chargers and communication devices.
On 19 December 2013, police attended an unrelated incident at his home and, while there, presented his wife with a Prevent leaflet detailing the dangers and consequences of travelling to Syria.
When Javeed returned home his wife showed him the leaflet, leading to him going to his parents house. While there a huge row broke out with the rest of his family, recorded on a phone by one of them, in which they are pleading for him not to travel.
Two days later, on 21 December 2013, Javeed was arrested by North West Counter Terrorism officers at his home.