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Woman accused of attempting to smuggle cash in underwear to Syria fighters | Woman accused of attempting to smuggle cash in underwear to Syria fighters |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Two women have gone on trial accused of arranging to smuggle cash to fighters in Syria after one was allegedly found with 20,000 euros in her underwear. | Two women have gone on trial accused of arranging to smuggle cash to fighters in Syria after one was allegedly found with 20,000 euros in her underwear. |
Nawal Msaad, 27, from north London and Amal El-Wahabi, 27, from north-west London are appearing at the Old Bailey. | |
Ms Msaad was stopped at Heathrow Airport boarding a flight to Istanbul on 16 January. She was recruited by Ms El-Wahabi, whose husband is fighting in Syria, it is claimed. | |
Both women deny all charges. | Both women deny all charges. |
Prosecutor Mark Dennis QC said that when Ms Msaad was arrested she was asked if she understood what was happening and replied: "I do, but I'm in shock." | |
'Buying gold' | 'Buying gold' |
The court heard that when she was searched at the airport she pulled a roll of cash - made up of 500-euro banknotes - from her underwear, which Mr Dennis said had been concealed in her body inside a condom. | |
There were also four 200-euro notes and two 100-euro notes found inside the stash. | |
Ms Msaad told police she had been planning to buy gold for her mother, the jury heard. | |
But Mr Dennis insisted the money "had been raised in this country and had been destined to support the jihadist cause" - which Ms El-Wahabi's husband Aine Davis was "now pursuing with like-minded supporters". | |
The prosecution alleged that the smuggling attempt had been instigated by Mr Davis, who, it was claimed, is fighting with jihadists in Syria. | |
The court heard that Mr Davis adopted the name "Hamza" and had spent time living in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. | The court heard that Mr Davis adopted the name "Hamza" and had spent time living in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. |
Mr Dennis said Mr Davis had left the UK on a flight to Amsterdam in July 2013, and messages to his wife indicated that he had decided to stay "in Muslim lands". | |
The jury was told that on the same day that Ms Msaad was arrested, police also went to Ms El-Wahabi's home where they seized mobile phones. | |
Ms El-Wahabi denied to police any knowledge of her husband's alleged jihadist behaviour, but material recovered from the phones was at odds with this claim, the court heard. | |
Kalashnikov | |
Mr Davis had sent her photos and videos which contained jihadist propaganda, Mr Dennis said. | |
He said one video sent in September 2013, showed a "boy martyr" aged between 10 and 13 holding a Kalashnikov rifle. | |
The court heard that Ms El-Wahabi, who was living on benefits, had been reluctant to follow her husband, and leave behind her friends and family. | |
But by December last year she was warming to the idea of joining him, jurors were told. | |
The case continues. | The case continues. |