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UK Muslims get 12 years for traveling to Syria to join the jihad

Dec 6, 2014 10:32 am By Robert Spencer

Ahmed and SarwarThese are the clowns who ordered The Koran for Dummies and Islam for Dummies from Amazon, a factoid that has been seized upon by apologists for Islam including Mehdi Hasan and Karen Armstrong as evidence that Muslims going to Syria and Iraq to join the jihad don’t really know anything about Islam, and are motivated by other factors.

All it really means, however, that possibly these two didn’t know much about Islam — or else that they wanted to learn how to explain it all better, or were planning to give the books to their irreligious relatives, or any number of other possibilities. But any half-truth or outright lie will do for the likes of Hasan or Armstrong when it comes to exonerating Islam from all responsibility for crimes committed in accord with its texts and teachings.

“British jihadists jailed for 12 years for travelling to Syria to fight with extremists,” by Victoria Richards, the Independent, December 5, 2014:

Childhood friends Mohammed Ahmed and Yusuf Sarwar have been sentenced to 12 years in prison for travelling to Syria to fight alongside Islamic extremists.

The British men, who are both 22 and from Birmingham, were given extended sentences of 17 years and eight months at Woolwich Crown Court.

They will spend 12 years and eight months in jail and a further five years on licence.

Ahmed and Sarwar fled to the war-torn country in May last year after contacting Islamic extremists.

They were arrested on their return to the UK in January after their parents called the police and then put pressure on them to come home.

Sarwar, who was a part-time student, left a note for his family, telling them he had not gone on holiday to Turkey but had in fact travelled to Syria to “do jihad” and “die as a martyr”, the trial heard.

Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and Yusuf Zubair Sarwar admitted spending eight months with an al-Qaeda-linked group Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and Yusuf Zubair Sarwar admitted spending eight months with an al-Qaeda-linked group

It contained money to pay off his debts and instructions to end his mobile phone contract.

The letter added: “Make sure you do not get any authorities involved. It is a kufaar (unbelievers) government.”

His family reported him missing in May, and West Midlands counter-terrorism officers, who searched their homes, were waiting for the pair when they returned to the UK in January.

Sarwar and Ahmed – who had told his family he was going on holiday with Sarwar – told officers they had travelled to the war-ravaged country for ‘humanitarian reasons’.

But when they were stopped at Heathrow Airport, they were found to have traces of military grade explosives on their clothing and “thousands” of photos of Syria – including images of themselves aiming automatic weapons.

Both men pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorism acts contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.

Prosecutor Brian Altman QC told the court: “Without the mother’s actions, the police would not have been in a position to be waiting for the men on their return.”

Judge Michael Topolski QC said: “They willingly, enthusiastically and with a great deal of purpose, persistence and determination embarked on a course intended to commit acts of terrorism….

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Filed Under: academia, United Kingdom Tagged With: Mohammed Ahmed, Yusuf Sarwar


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Comments

  1. Jay Boo says

    Dec 6, 2014 at 10:51 am

    This brings to mind:
    Achmed the dead Terrorist (Comedy Skit)

  2. Walter Sieruk says

    Dec 6, 2014 at 11:39 am

    This Muslim man might have felt that he was dong the “noble and right thing” by going to Syria and joining the jihad of ISIS. Nevertheless his feeling about it doing the “right” thing to do is not in accord with reality. If he died fighting for ISIS, according the Bible , he would have gone to hell. So that in his feeling that he do doing the”right and noble” thing really don’t matter in the end. For in reality, in spite of his feeling, he was doing wrong.Thus it may well be true in what they say which is “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Furthermore, he was,no doubt, because of his religion so very warped, sick and deluded that he actually believed that engaging in the violence and killing of the jihad for ISIS was something that was “good.” About those who are so warped ,sick and deluded in their thinking,the Bible has the answers. For example in Isaiah 5;20 it teaches “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil..” [N.i.V.]

  3. thomas pellow says

    Dec 6, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    “British jihadist who married one of the 16-year-old Manchester ‘terror twins’ is ‘killed fighting for ISIS in Iraq.’
    British man Ali Kalantar, 19, reportedly killed in Syria while fighting for ISIS.
    He had left Coventry in March this year while studying for his A-Levels.
    News of his death tweeted by his wife in Syria, Umm Jafar al-Britaniyah.
    Wife believed to be British national Zahra Halane, one of the sisters who fled to Syria from Manchester in June.
    Kalantar was due to study computer science at university when he left.
    His father Rahim previously alleged he had been radicalised by local imam.
    Kalantar once said British passport ‘had less value than toilet tissue paper.'”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2863521/British-jihadist-married-one-16-year-old-Manchester-terror-twins-Syria-killed-fighting-ISIS-Iraq.html#ixzz3L9EcfefI

  4. pumbar says

    Dec 7, 2014 at 12:11 am

    “Kalantar once said British passport ‘had less value than toilet tissue paper.”

    He got that right, they’re dishing them out to just about anyone now. I tried to sell mine on ebay but the 50 pence postage was too high and worth more than the passport.

  5. No Fear says

    Dec 7, 2014 at 3:51 am

    Much has been made of the fact that they read “Islam for Dummies”.

    Yet they know that the only 100% guaranteed way to enter the Quranic paradise is to kill non-believers.

    How did they know that? Someone told them that much about Islam.

    • No Fear says

      Dec 7, 2014 at 3:53 am

      e.g.

      Qur’an (3:169-170) – “Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the bounty provided by Allah: And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve.”

  6. thomas pellow says

    Dec 7, 2014 at 7:51 am

    An update report-

    “Police betrayed me, says mother of British jihadist jailed for 12 years after she turned him in.
    Mother of British jihadist Yusuf Sarwar says she was betrayed by the police.
    Majida Sarwar, from Birmingham, tipped off police when son went to Syria.
    22-year-old travelled to war zone with friend Mohammed Nahin Ahmed.
    They were arrested eight months later at Heathrow and jailed for 12 years.
    A judge praised mother’s ‘bravery’ for telling officers son went ‘to do jihad.’
    But Ms Sarwar says she was told he could expect a far shorter sentence.
    She says other mothers of jihadists will be put off coming forward in future.”

    By MARTIN ROBINSON and OLLIE GILLMAN

    FOR MAILONLINE.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2864132/Police-betrayed-says-mother-British-jihadist-jailed-12-years-turned-in.html#ixzz3LDRSbNQK

  7. Marty says

    Dec 7, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    It’s a pity that these two sociopaths were not permitted to attain martyrdom. Doing so would be a win-win.

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