Dental student is guilty of terror charges

A DENTAL student has been convicted of terror offences by sending money to his brother in Syria who was fighting to overthrow the government.

Abdurahman Kaabar, 23, had already admitted possessing and disseminating extremist material that could be used by someone planning a terror attack.

The material included advice on bomb making, kidnapping and use of poisons, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Sheffield Crown Court was told the offending showed Kaabar actively supported using violence to achieve political and religious goals.

Kaabar, who is studying at Plymouth University, agreed to send money in late 2016 to his brother with the help of a friend, Badroddin Kazkaz.

His younger brother Mohammed Kaabar had travelled to Syria via Turkey earlier that year to join the terror group Jabhat al Fateh al Sham, previously known as alNusra, who were fighting against government forces.

Kaabar, of Martin Street, Sheffield, admitted he knew his brother was fighting with the group. Kazkaz pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to funding terrorism but Kaabar said he had provided the funds only to enable his brother to obtain medical advice.

He admitted sending money to his brother but denied knowing or suspecting it might be used to fund terrorism.

Kaabar was also found guilty of a second count of funding terrorism when he offered to send a further sum to his brother in July 2017 although the transfer did not take place.

His brother was believed to be still in Syria.

Outside court, Deb Walsh of the CPS said: “The prosecution was able to show that Abdurahman Kaabar and Badroddin Kazkaz believed in establishing an Islamic state through the use of violence which

they were prepared to fund. Kaabar also admitted to having and sharing a number of violent publications. He clearly holds an extremist world-view and was prepared to play an active role in terrorism.”

Kaabar and Kazkaz, also 23, of Cross Myrtle Road, Sheffield, will be sentenced on September 25.