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| Woman cleared of smuggling money for Syria in underwear | Woman cleared of smuggling money for Syria in underwear |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A woman accused of trying to smuggle 20,000 euros (£15,800) in her underwear to a Briton fighting in Syria has been found not guilty of funding terrorism. | A woman accused of trying to smuggle 20,000 euros (£15,800) in her underwear to a Briton fighting in Syria has been found not guilty of funding terrorism. |
| Nawal Msaad, 27, from north London, was stopped at Heathrow Airport as she prepared to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, on 16 January. | Nawal Msaad, 27, from north London, was stopped at Heathrow Airport as she prepared to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, on 16 January. |
| Amal El-Wahabi, 27, who was accused of trying to get her to smuggle the money, was found guilty of funding terrorism. | Amal El-Wahabi, 27, who was accused of trying to get her to smuggle the money, was found guilty of funding terrorism. |
| Prosecutors said El-Wahabi's husband had joined rebels fighting in Syria. | Prosecutors said El-Wahabi's husband had joined rebels fighting in Syria. |
| Ms Msaad, who was a first year student at London Metropolitan University at the time of her arrest, had denied being an Islamist extremist, saying she had been duped by El-Wahabi. | Ms Msaad, who was a first year student at London Metropolitan University at the time of her arrest, had denied being an Islamist extremist, saying she had been duped by El-Wahabi. |
| She said she had hidden the cash to keep it safe - but said she had only put it under the waist strap of her leggings. | She said she had hidden the cash to keep it safe - but said she had only put it under the waist strap of her leggings. |
| As she was acquitted, Ms Msaad sobbed in the dock, before running out of court. | As she was acquitted, Ms Msaad sobbed in the dock, before running out of court. |
| Speaking outside London's Old Bailey, she said was was "relieved" but said she was "physically drained and mentally weak". | |
| 'Fourteen years' | 'Fourteen years' |
| The jury found El-Wahabi guilty of persuading her friend to take the money to her husband by a majority verdict. | |
| El-Wahabi began screaming after her conviction, forcing Judge Nicholas Hilliard to clear the court. She is due to be sentenced on 12 September and faces a maximum of 14 years in prison. | El-Wahabi began screaming after her conviction, forcing Judge Nicholas Hilliard to clear the court. She is due to be sentenced on 12 September and faces a maximum of 14 years in prison. |
| She is the first Briton to be convicted under terror laws of funding jihadist fighters in Syria. | She is the first Briton to be convicted under terror laws of funding jihadist fighters in Syria. |
| Judge Hilliard told her it had been a "substantial amount of money destined for the hands of an extremist who was involved in violent jihad" and warned a custodial sentence appeared inevitable. | Judge Hilliard told her it had been a "substantial amount of money destined for the hands of an extremist who was involved in violent jihad" and warned a custodial sentence appeared inevitable. |
| El-Wahabi's barrister had pleading for her client to be granted bail until sentencing to allow her to see her two young sons. | El-Wahabi's barrister had pleading for her client to be granted bail until sentencing to allow her to see her two young sons. |
| However, the judge turned down her appeal. | However, the judge turned down her appeal. |
| Prosecutors said that in 2013 El-Wahabi's husband, Aine Davis, had travelled to Syria to join jihadists fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. | Prosecutors said that in 2013 El-Wahabi's husband, Aine Davis, had travelled to Syria to join jihadists fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| In January this year, Davis, also known as Hamza, asked his wife to arrange the delivery of cash to neighbouring Turkey. | In January this year, Davis, also known as Hamza, asked his wife to arrange the delivery of cash to neighbouring Turkey. |
| The court heard El-Wahabi, a north London mother-of-two, texted her old school friend to see if she would act as a courier in return for a 1,000 euro payment. | The court heard El-Wahabi, a north London mother-of-two, texted her old school friend to see if she would act as a courier in return for a 1,000 euro payment. |
| Ms Msaad replied: "Whaaaay". | Ms Msaad replied: "Whaaaay". |
| Bundle of cash | Bundle of cash |
| The jury heard that, after further discussion, the human resources student agreed to take the cash to Mr Davis and booked a flight to Istanbul. | The jury heard that, after further discussion, the human resources student agreed to take the cash to Mr Davis and booked a flight to Istanbul. |
| However, when she went to board her flight at Heathrow Airport, police questioned her about the purpose of the trip. | However, when she went to board her flight at Heathrow Airport, police questioned her about the purpose of the trip. |
| Ms Msaad told them she was going for a short break and was carrying 20,000 euros "around me" so that she could buy gold for her mother. | Ms Msaad told them she was going for a short break and was carrying 20,000 euros "around me" so that she could buy gold for her mother. |
| Prosecutors say that when she was searched, she retrieved a tightly-wrapped bundle of cash from her underwear. | Prosecutors say that when she was searched, she retrieved a tightly-wrapped bundle of cash from her underwear. |
| It was alleged Ms Msaad may well have further concealed it within her body inside a condom - something she denied. | It was alleged Ms Msaad may well have further concealed it within her body inside a condom - something she denied. |
| Ms Msaad said she readily volunteered that she was carrying the cash and didn't want to conceal what she was doing. | Ms Msaad said she readily volunteered that she was carrying the cash and didn't want to conceal what she was doing. |
| Almost all of the bundle was 500 euro notes, which are banned in the UK in an effort to combat money laundering by drugs gangs. | Almost all of the bundle was 500 euro notes, which are banned in the UK in an effort to combat money laundering by drugs gangs. |
| Ms Msaad, who was also facing a maximum sentence of 14 years, was often photographed turning up at court wearing short skirts and other fashionable ensembles, making no attempt to hide the electronic tag on her ankle. | Ms Msaad, who was also facing a maximum sentence of 14 years, was often photographed turning up at court wearing short skirts and other fashionable ensembles, making no attempt to hide the electronic tag on her ankle. |
| She denied planning to fund jihadists - and said she had believed the cash was part of El-Wahabi's plan to move to Turkey to join her husband. | She denied planning to fund jihadists - and said she had believed the cash was part of El-Wahabi's plan to move to Turkey to join her husband. |
| 'Stitched up' | |
| The student said she assumed acting as a personal courier was cheaper than using a currency transfer service - and that she was embarrassed that she had used a condom to keep it safe. | The student said she assumed acting as a personal courier was cheaper than using a currency transfer service - and that she was embarrassed that she had used a condom to keep it safe. |
| "She [El-Wahabi] wasn't completely honest with me about where the money came from," said Ms Msaad told the trial. | "She [El-Wahabi] wasn't completely honest with me about where the money came from," said Ms Msaad told the trial. |
| "And so I do get that feeling, I'm not going to deny that… the feeling that I have been stitched up. I had no intention to smuggle money into Turkey." | "And so I do get that feeling, I'm not going to deny that… the feeling that I have been stitched up. I had no intention to smuggle money into Turkey." |
| Ms Msaad, whose family were originally from Morocco, said she considered herself Muslim but was not particularly religious. She said she had no strong political views and had not read jihadist literature. | Ms Msaad, whose family were originally from Morocco, said she considered herself Muslim but was not particularly religious. She said she had no strong political views and had not read jihadist literature. |
| In many terrorism cases, prosecutors often present evidence of an extremist mindset gleaned by police from forensic examinations of mobile phones and computers. | In many terrorism cases, prosecutors often present evidence of an extremist mindset gleaned by police from forensic examinations of mobile phones and computers. |
| In Ms Msaad's case, her Facebook profile was focused on socialising with friends at parties and festivals. | In Ms Msaad's case, her Facebook profile was focused on socialising with friends at parties and festivals. |
| In one Twitter picture she had given her electronic bail tag a designer touch by attaching a Chanel logo. | In one Twitter picture she had given her electronic bail tag a designer touch by attaching a Chanel logo. |
| After her release from prison on bail in March, she published on YouTube a cover version of a Jennifer Lopez song, protesting that she was the "same girl" who'd been let down by fake friends. | After her release from prison on bail in March, she published on YouTube a cover version of a Jennifer Lopez song, protesting that she was the "same girl" who'd been let down by fake friends. |
| She also posted a statement on Facebook denying the allegations, saying: "At no point did I try to conceal the money from the police, I volunteered the amount of money I was taking." | She also posted a statement on Facebook denying the allegations, saying: "At no point did I try to conceal the money from the police, I volunteered the amount of money I was taking." |
| "I can't help but wonder if I had been called Natalie from Surrey whether the authorities would have presented terrorism charges against me." | "I can't help but wonder if I had been called Natalie from Surrey whether the authorities would have presented terrorism charges against me." |
| 'Extremist material' | |
| The court heard that Aine Davis was a former drug dealer with a conviction for possessing a firearm. | The court heard that Aine Davis was a former drug dealer with a conviction for possessing a firearm. |
| He had subsequently converted to Islam, taking the name Hamza, and travelled widely in the Middle East before joining an aid convoy in Syria last year. | He had subsequently converted to Islam, taking the name Hamza, and travelled widely in the Middle East before joining an aid convoy in Syria last year. |
| When police searched El-Wahabi's home, they said they found extremist material, including material on a mobile phone relating to the main Syrian jihadist group, then called Isis. | When police searched El-Wahabi's home, they said they found extremist material, including material on a mobile phone relating to the main Syrian jihadist group, then called Isis. |
| El-Wahabi told the court she had never watched extremist material and the money she asked Ms Msaad to take to Turkey was from Davis' former drug dealing life. | El-Wahabi told the court she had never watched extremist material and the money she asked Ms Msaad to take to Turkey was from Davis' former drug dealing life. |
| Mark Summers, defending her, told the jury they would never see a more unlikely terrorist come before them. | Mark Summers, defending her, told the jury they would never see a more unlikely terrorist come before them. |
| However, the jury was also shown a "selfie" Davis had sent El-Wahabi, as well as videos containing jihadist propaganda and a stream of Skype messages between the couple. | However, the jury was also shown a "selfie" Davis had sent El-Wahabi, as well as videos containing jihadist propaganda and a stream of Skype messages between the couple. |
| Prosecutor Mark Dennis QC told the court it was "plain from images that he had sent to her that [Mr] Davis had fulfilled his desire and was now with jihadist fighters". | Prosecutor Mark Dennis QC told the court it was "plain from images that he had sent to her that [Mr] Davis had fulfilled his desire and was now with jihadist fighters". |
| The jury was shown a stream of Skype texts between the couple in which El-Wahabi initially complained of being lonely and begged him to come back. | The jury was shown a stream of Skype texts between the couple in which El-Wahabi initially complained of being lonely and begged him to come back. |