Parents of ‘Jihadi Jack’ charged with terror offences

THE parents of a British Muslim convert who has been accused of joining the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Syria have been charged with terrorism offences.

Jack Letts, dubbed “Jihadi Jack”, was suspected of being the first white Briton to join the terror group after he left his Oxford home and travelled to the war-ravaged country last year.

The 20-year-old, who reportedly now goes by the name Abu Mohammed, married an Iraqi woman with whom he had a son, Muhammed, while living in the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

He has posted pictures of himself in combat clothing posing near what is believed to be the Tabqa Dam in Syria.

His father, John Letts, and mother, Sally Lane, were arrested in February. Mr Letts, a leading organic farmer and baker, has appeared on Countryfile and the 55-year-old has also won a Prince of Wales grant to help preserve crop biodiversity.

Canadian-born Mr Letts is also one of the country’s leading archaeo-botanists, specialising in ancient grains, while Ms Lane, 53, is a literary editor. The pair have strongly denied their son’s ties to the terrorist organisation.

The South East Counter Terrorism Unit (Sectu) confirmed that it had charged Mr Letts and Ms Lane with making money available for a terrorist purpose. They have been bailed.

A Sectu spokesman said Mr Letts had been charged with “three counts of entering into or becoming concerned in an arrangement to make available money, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used for a terrorist purpose contrary to section 17 Terrorism Act 2000”.

Ms Lane faces the same three charges and also “two counts of attempting to provide money, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used for a terrorist purpose contrary to section 1(1) Criminal Attempts Act 1981 and section 15(3) Terrorism Act 2000”.

The couple will appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on June 9.