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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 | |
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| 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. | 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. |
| 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, the court heard in a case that underlined the complexity of European terror networks. | 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, the court heard in a case that underlined the complexity of European terror networks. |
| 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. | 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. |
| The cash, which was handed to Abrini in a park in Birmingham, was taken from an account that held overpaid housing benefits, 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, the court heard. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 attacks. | 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 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. | 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 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. | 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 one of a roulette machine, a number of pictures of Manchester United’s ground, and some of a moth in a hotel room. | 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 he had not been on any “reconnaissance trips in relation to preparatory terrorist attacks” in either Birmingham, Manchester or London. | Abrini claimed he had not been on any “reconnaissance trips in relation to preparatory terrorist attacks” in either Birmingham, Manchester or London. |
| Abrini said there was no plan to attack the UK because the country has a “more developed secret service” as well as “better observation techniques”. | Abrini said there was no plan to attack the UK 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. |
| Telecommunications evidence showed there was a “convergence” of the three men in the park the previous day, 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 the previous day, 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, 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. | 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. |
| 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 before, was a “bad person”. | 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 before, was a “bad person”. |
| He said he was a cannabis user and a “moderate and tolerant” Sufi Muslim and described members of Isis as “worse than animals”. | 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. | He and Ahmed will be sentenced on 12 December at the same court. |