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Birmingham man found guilty of giving cash to Brussels attack suspect Birmingham man found guilty of giving cash to Brussels attack suspect
(35 minutes later)
A man has been found guilty of helping fund terrorism by giving money he was overpaid in benefits to the Brussels bombing suspect Mohamed Abrini during a secret meeting in a Birmingham park. A man from Birmingham has been convicted of funding international terrorism by supplying cash to the so-called man in the hat in the Brussels airport attack in a case that underlines the complexity of European terror networks.
Zakaria Boufassil, 26, together with Mohammed Ali Ahmed, provided £3,000 to Abrini, who was nicknamed the “man in the hat” after being caught on CCTV at Brussels airport before the bombing in March. Zakaria Boufassil, a Belgian national, supplied £3,000 to Mohamed Abrini, who earned his nickname after being spotted on CCTV at Brussels airport just before the bombings in March.
A jury of six men and six women at Kingston crown court in south-west London found Boufassil, from Birmingham, guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism. A jury of six men and six women at Kingston crown court on Tuesday found Boufassil, 26, guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism. A co-defendant, Mohammed Ali Ahmed, also from Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the charge last month.
Boufassil, a Belgian national, who looked stunned as the verdict was delivered, told the court during the trial that he was a cannabis user and a “moderate and tolerant” Sufi Muslim, and described members of Islamic State as “worse than animals”. The court heard the cash, which was handed to Abrini in a park in Birmingham, was taken from an account that held overpaid housing benefits.
On 8 April, Abrini, 31, was arrested in Belgium and accused of participating in terrorist acts linked to the Brussels Zaventem airport suicide bombing on 22 March. The Belgian Moroccan was also wanted by French authorities over the attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 in which 130 people died. Abrini, 31, was arrested in Belgium and accused of “participating in terrorist acts” linked to the Brussels Zaventem airport suicide bombing on 22 March. The Belgian Moroccan was also wanted by French authorities over the 13 November 2015 attacks in Paris in which 130 people died.
In a transcript of an interview with Abrini by Belgian investigators, which was read to the court during the trial, he said that while visiting the Isis stronghold of Raqqa, in Syria, a man called Abdelhamid Abaaoud had asked him to collect the cash in the UK as a favour. Abrini fled Brussels airport after his two alleged accomplices blew themselves up. He had been on Europe’s most wanted list since being identified as one of two suspects seen on CCTV travelling in a car two days before the Paris terror attacks.
In a transcript of an interview with Abrini by Belgian investigators, which was read to the court during the trial, he said that while visiting the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, a man called Abdelhamid Abaaoud had asked him to collect the cash in the UK as a favour.
He also revealed it had been “Zakaria” who had handed him the bag of money in the “forest”, but that he had not been told by Abaaoud who it was from or how much he was to collect.He also revealed it had been “Zakaria” who had handed him the bag of money in the “forest”, but that he had not been told by Abaaoud who it was from or how much he was to collect.
During his visit to the UK, which took place between 9 July and 16 July 2015, Abrini also visited casinos in Birmingham and Manchester, Old Trafford football stadium and the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester, and the Bullring in Birmingham, after travelling to Britain from Syria via Turkey. During his UK visit, which took place between 9 July and 16 July 2015, Abrini visited Old Trafford football stadium and the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester and the Bullring in Birmingham, as well as casinos in both cities, after travelling to Britain from Syria via Turkey.
A number of images were found on the phone he had been using, including a picture of a roulette machine, a number of Manchester United’s ground, and some of a moth in one of his hotel rooms. A number of images were found on the phone he had been using, including one of a roulette machine, a number of pictures of Manchester United’s ground, and some of a moth in a hotel room.
Abrini claimed that “neither in London, nor in Birmingham, nor in Manchester” had he been on any “reconnaissance trips in relation to preparatory terrorist attacks”. Abrini claimed that “neither in London nor in Birmingham nor in Manchester” had he been on any “reconnaissance trips in relation to preparatory terrorist attacks”.
He also said there was no plan to attack England because the country has a “more developed secret service” as well as “better observation techniques”. Abrini said there was no plan to attack England because the country has a “more developed secret service” as well as “better observation techniques”.
The court heard how money was taken from an account held by Anouar Haddouchi, an associate of Ahmed who previously lived in Birmingham and had travelled to Syria to fight for Isis. The account contained overpaid housing benefits totalling £5,413 that had been paid between 21 December 2014 and 1 November 2015. The court heard how money was taken from an account held by Anouar Haddouchi, an associate of Ahmed who previously lived in Birmingham and had travelled to Syria to fight for Isis. The account contained overpaid housing benefits totalling £5,413 that had been paid between 21 December 2014, and 1 November 2015.
Ahmed used a replacement debit card for the account to make 17 withdrawals between 30 May and 30 June 2015, and £3,000 of the cash was handed to Abrini in Small Heath Park, Birmingham, on 11 July last year.Ahmed used a replacement debit card for the account to make 17 withdrawals between 30 May and 30 June 2015, and £3,000 of the cash was handed to Abrini in Small Heath Park, Birmingham, on 11 July last year.
Prosecuting, Max Hill QC, said: “The intention could not be more clear. Haddouchi had left the UK to fight for Daesh in Syria. Abrini had come to collect the money in the UK.”
He said there was “no doubt” the money was handed over with the intention of assisting acts of terrorism.
Telecommunications evidence showed there was a “convergence” of the three men in the park on 10 July, which the prosecution said was to “act as a dress rehearsal” and to see if Abrini was being followed. Data showed Abrini, Ahmed and Boufassil had also been together in the same area the next day between 3.29pm and 3.34pm.Telecommunications evidence showed there was a “convergence” of the three men in the park on 10 July, which the prosecution said was to “act as a dress rehearsal” and to see if Abrini was being followed. Data showed Abrini, Ahmed and Boufassil had also been together in the same area the next day between 3.29pm and 3.34pm.
During the trial, Boufassil admitted meeting Abrini in the park, but denied it had anything to do terrorism and its funding. He insisted Ahmed had never communicated his plans, “took advantage of his naivety” and had not told him that Abrini, who he claimed to never have met, was a “bad person”. During the trial Boufassil, who looked stunned as the verdict was delivered, admitted meeting Abrini in the park, but denied it had anything to do terrorism and its funding.
Boufassil denied sharing the intention of his co-accused, who admitted the charges on 8 November. He insisted that Ahmed had never communicated his plans, but “took advantage of his naivety” and had not told him that Abrini, who he claimed to never have met, was a “bad person”.
The pair will be sentenced on 12 December at the same court. He said he was a cannabis user and a “moderate and tolerant” Sufi Muslim and described members of Isis as “worse than animals”.
He and Ahmed will be sentenced on 12 December at the same court.