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| Two men convicted of involvement in funding Syrian extremists Two men convicted of involvement in funding Syrian extremists | |
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| Two men have been convicted of involvement in funding extremists in Syria by smuggling supplies in aid convoys, including the convoy that took the taxi driver Alan Henning to the region before he was kidnapped and murdered by Islamic State. | Two men have been convicted of involvement in funding extremists in Syria by smuggling supplies in aid convoys, including the convoy that took the taxi driver Alan Henning to the region before he was kidnapped and murdered by Islamic State. |
| The Old Bailey heard that convoys led by members of the British Muslim community had become unwitting vehicles for funds and supplies used in the planning of terrorist attacks. | The Old Bailey heard that convoys led by members of the British Muslim community had become unwitting vehicles for funds and supplies used in the planning of terrorist attacks. |
| Syed Hoque, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, was found guilty of two charges of providing £4,500 to terrorists, while his “fixer” Mashoud Miah, 28, from east London, was convicted on one count of helping Hoque get £1,500 to Syria. | Syed Hoque, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, was found guilty of two charges of providing £4,500 to terrorists, while his “fixer” Mashoud Miah, 28, from east London, was convicted on one count of helping Hoque get £1,500 to Syria. |
| The first £3,000 was delivered via a Children in Need convoy in July 2013 and another £1,500 was sent via the same convoy that Henning travelled with. | The first £3,000 was delivered via a Children in Need convoy in July 2013 and another £1,500 was sent via the same convoy that Henning travelled with. |
| Two co-defendants were cleared of involvement: Mohammed Hussain and Pervez Rafiq, a prominent charity fundraiser who was a friend of Henning’s and said he had been courted by MI5 as a potential informer. | Two co-defendants were cleared of involvement: Mohammed Hussain and Pervez Rafiq, a prominent charity fundraiser who was a friend of Henning’s and said he had been courted by MI5 as a potential informer. |
| The prosecutor, Annabel Darlow QC, told jurors the convoys were used as a means of moving money and other property out of the UK to Syria. | The prosecutor, Annabel Darlow QC, told jurors the convoys were used as a means of moving money and other property out of the UK to Syria. |
| “Normal routes are not much use when you look at Syria. So if you do want to get property or money out to Syria, the convoys would have provided a useful conduit,” she said. | “Normal routes are not much use when you look at Syria. So if you do want to get property or money out to Syria, the convoys would have provided a useful conduit,” she said. |
| The court had heard that Hoque, a former probation officer, sent £4,500 to his nephew, Mohammed Choudhury, who was fighting with a Syrian group linked to al-Qaida. | The court had heard that Hoque, a former probation officer, sent £4,500 to his nephew, Mohammed Choudhury, who was fighting with a Syrian group linked to al-Qaida. |
| In incriminating WhatsApp exchanges, Choudhury, 26, asked for money to buy a Dragunov sniper rifle. Hoque was put in touch with Miah, a gas engineer, who travelled to and from Syria with aid convoys in 2012 and 2013. | In incriminating WhatsApp exchanges, Choudhury, 26, asked for money to buy a Dragunov sniper rifle. Hoque was put in touch with Miah, a gas engineer, who travelled to and from Syria with aid convoys in 2012 and 2013. |
| Miah was convicted of helping Hoque get money to Syria, but was cleared of a further charge over an alleged plot to create a “night team” of terrorist marksmen in Syria. | Miah was convicted of helping Hoque get money to Syria, but was cleared of a further charge over an alleged plot to create a “night team” of terrorist marksmen in Syria. |
| He had been accused of drawing up a list of the equipment needed and delegating the job of sourcing much of it to Rafiq and Hussain.Giving evidence, Hoque admitted sending money to his nephew via Miah because he was fighting “in defence of those who cannot defend themselves”. He denied knowing his nephew was with a group linked to al-Qaida. | He had been accused of drawing up a list of the equipment needed and delegating the job of sourcing much of it to Rafiq and Hussain.Giving evidence, Hoque admitted sending money to his nephew via Miah because he was fighting “in defence of those who cannot defend themselves”. He denied knowing his nephew was with a group linked to al-Qaida. |
| Miah told jurors the Syrian people needed help and “had every right to be defended”. | Miah told jurors the Syrian people needed help and “had every right to be defended”. |
| Following his arrest, Rafiq said he had travelled in a convoy with Henning, who was taken hostage and beheaded by Mohammed Emwazi in October 2014. | Following his arrest, Rafiq said he had travelled in a convoy with Henning, who was taken hostage and beheaded by Mohammed Emwazi in October 2014. |
| Known as Jihadi John, Emwazi was killed by a US drone strike in November 2015. | Known as Jihadi John, Emwazi was killed by a US drone strike in November 2015. |
| Giving evidence, Rafiq said he had not been back to Syria since December 2013 because of threats against him by Isis and other extremists over Henning’s death. | Giving evidence, Rafiq said he had not been back to Syria since December 2013 because of threats against him by Isis and other extremists over Henning’s death. |
| He told jurors: “I was trying to save the life of a non-believer. He was not a Muslim.” | He told jurors: “I was trying to save the life of a non-believer. He was not a Muslim.” |
| The court heard that MI5 had offered Rafiq, who had raised £200,000 for charity, £30,000 to work for the secret services. Jurors were also told he had always cooperated with authorities who searched convoys on their way out and stopped him on the way back to the UK. | The court heard that MI5 had offered Rafiq, who had raised £200,000 for charity, £30,000 to work for the secret services. Jurors were also told he had always cooperated with authorities who searched convoys on their way out and stopped him on the way back to the UK. |
| Henning joined the Al-Fatiha Global convoy taking aid to Syrian refugees, and was kidnapped soon after he crossed the border in December 2013. | Henning joined the Al-Fatiha Global convoy taking aid to Syrian refugees, and was kidnapped soon after he crossed the border in December 2013. |
| Judge John Bevan QC said he would sentence the pair next year. | Judge John Bevan QC said he would sentence the pair next year. |