Man jailed after pregnant wife alerts move to join terror group

A MUSLIM convert has been jailed for five years after he was caught trying to join Islamic State when his pregnant wife “snitched” on him.

Ismael Watson, 27, (pictured right) had travelled to Turkey but was stopped and sent back to Britain as he tried to cross the border into Syria, the Old Bailey heard.

Watson, who has suffered from a bipolar disorder, had denied preparation of terrorist acts and had opted to represent himself but refused to attend court.

His first trial was abandoned and fol- lowing a two-day retrial, he was found guilty in his absence. The Liverpoolborn defendant, formally known as Jack Watson, was “quickly radicalised” following his conversion to Islam and in 2015 he married Sharmina Begum at a mosque in Birmingham.

The couple moved into a shared house in Walsall but the relationship broke down by January last year as Watson’s views became increasingly extreme, jurors heard.

Oliver Glasgow QC, prosecuting, had told jurors how Watson made preparations to join IS between January last year and February 23. He took a flight to Morocco then made his way to Turkey and allegedly sought help to cross the border into Syria via internet contacts, not realising he was speaking to two undercover security service agents.

In a conversation on March 30 last year, an officer asked him if he had been “hot” before he left Britain, and Watson replied: “Yes I was hot. My wife snitched on me and left. While pregnant told them everything...”

In encrypted Telegram chats with another officer, he described how he slicked back his hair to look more Syri- an but admitted “can only change face so much”.

Watson was detained in Turkey and sent back to Britain in February.

Sentencing, Judge Anuja Dhir QC told him: “The evidence in this case proved you held deep and extensive radicalised beliefs that were demonstrated by the large volume of extremist material found on your mobile phone. You wanted to fight for Islamic State and you demonstrated a willingness to kill for them.”

She ordered Watson to spend an extra 12 months on extended licence.