Teenager who went to join IS
STEPPING off an escalator at Stansted before his arrest, this is the London teenager who plotted to join Islamic state in Syria — his bags packed with a Bear Grylls-style survival kit.
Middlesex Universit y student Cubeyda Jama, 19, drew up a list of jobs he could do for the terror group — including being a chef — and took along a solar-powered iPhone charger, an electric shaving kit, a map of Turkey, new socks and a woollen bobble hat.
Radicalised online, Jama used his student loan to buy a one-way ticket to Romania on the first leg of the journey, downloaded a step-by-step manual to “Islamic” warfare, and swore an oath of allegiance to IS.
However his plans were thwarted when anti-terror police hauled him off a plane on the runway at Stansted on February 5. At the Old Bailey today, Judge Gerald Gordon c alled Jama “naive”as he sentenced the computer science student to three-and-half years in a young offender institution for engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.
After his arrest, detectives found an e-book detailing how to join IS and listing items needed for the journey. A search of Jama’s flat, above a beauty salon in Thornton Heath, uncovered a handwritten kit-list subtitled “Bear Grills” listing potential IS jobs including “chef ”, “bomb-making department”, and “fitness military trainer”.
A file entitled “self-sacrifice”, on a USB drive, set out arguments attempting to legitimise suicide bombings, while Jama had also downloaded videos of IS prisoners being beheaded.
At yesterday’s hearing Judge Gordon said the plot hatched by Jama, who pleaded guilty, lacked the planning and cash to reach Syria — but the teenager had resolved to “do whatever was required of you” if it had succeeded.
The judge highlighted Jama’ s “nomadic” childhood — leaving his native Finland for Somalia before settling in London in 2010 and having to learn English from scratch — as a possible cause of radicalisation. “No doubt that made you somewhat isolated and with time on your hands”, he said.
“You’re described by the psychologist as naive. You were at obvious risk of radicalisation, be it self-radicalisation via the internet, radicalisation through others, or a combination. That is exactly what happened. “You were not travelling with any developed specific terrorist activities in mind, such as fighting, and in light of your comparative lack of funds, lack of detailed onwards travel planning, and apparent lack of necessary introduction to obtain acceptance into Daesh, your chances of having actually succeeded in your aim was low. “But if you did achieve your aim of joining Daesh, you would have had no option but to do whatever was required of you.” Jama will serve half his sentence before being considered for release, and will spend an extra year on licence once he is free.