Teenager detained in terror trial: “Britain’s youngest Islamist terrorist is sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institution”

19.09.2008

Britain’s youngest Islamist terrorist has been sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institution.

Hammaad Munshi, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was 16 when he was arrested in 2006. Now 18, he was convicted of making a record of information likely to be used for terrorist purposes, but cleared of possessing terrorist material. Sentencing him at the Old Bailey, Judge Timothy Pontius said Munshi “fell under the spell of fanatical extremists”.

“There is no doubt that you knew what you were doing,” the judge told him.

‘Key player’

During his trial at Blackfriars Crown Court, the jury heard that Munshi had spent many hours viewing jihadist websites and had downloaded a guide to making napalm.

His barrister said he had showed “curiosity” as opposed to any kind of malicious intent.

Munshi was convicted alongside two other men, Aabid Khan and Sultan Muhammad.

Khan, 23, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was said to be a “key player” in radicalisation via the internet.

He was accused by prosecutors of “inciting others to take part in [jihad] and arranging for himself and others to attend military training in Pakistan in preparation for going to fight and, inevitably, to kill”.

Munshi was said to have been recruited by Khan when he was just 15.

The judge said the nature of what Munshi downloaded made it a “particularly serious offence”.

“You have brought very great shame upon yourself, your family and your religion,” he told him.

“However, in the light of the evidence, I have no doubt at all that you, amongst other of similar immaturity and vulnerability, fell under the spell of fanatical extremists, and your co-defendant Aabid Khan in particular.

“They took advantage of your youthful naivety in order to indoctrinate you with pernicious and warped ideas masquerading as altruistic religious zeal.

“Were it not for Aabid Khan’s malign influence, I doubt this offence would ever have been committed.”

Khan was sentenced in August to 12 years for possessing or making documents promoting terrorism. His cousin Muhammad, also from Bradford, was sentenced to 10 years for similar offences under the Terrorism Act.

(Via BBC News.)