Terror accused Zakariya Ashiq 'tortured by shadowy figures'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-32838683

Version 0 of 1.

A British Muslim man accused of trying to joining Islamic State has told a jury he fled the UK after fearing for his safety.

Zakariya Ashiq, 20, of Coventry, was "tortured" by unidentified "shadowy figures", the Old Bailey heard.

The court earlier heard he left the UK in November, but was forced to return after failing to cross the border from Jordan into Syria.

Mr Ashiq denies preparing acts of terrorism.

'Blindfolded and handcuffed'

He was arrested at Heathrow Airport on 20 November.

Giving evidence, Mr Ashiq said he had been "pestered and "harassed" by members of MI5, meeting officers 12 times.

He said he told intelligence officers he would inform them if he heard about a terror attack planned in Britain, but would not spy on other Muslims.

Mr Ashiq told the court he was also abducted five times between July and November by "shadowy figures" in balaclavas with London and American accents. He said they had blindfolded and handcuffed him.

On the first occasion he said he "thought it was a joke", until they demanded the names of leaders in Syria.

"They showed my mum's prescription, my fingerprints. They said 'We know everything about you, there's nothing you can hide from us'," Mr Ashiq told the court.

'Drowning sensation'

On other occasions he said he had been tortured.

"They would put a towel on your face, pour water on you and you get a drowning sensation," he said.

"I was choking up the water. I thought I was going to die. Then afterwards, they do the same thing again but I took a gulp of air before they did it and it was the same questions again and again.

"I just said, 'Just kill me now. I prefer death than torture'. This country hates Muslims, the way they tortured me."

Asked by his lawyer Paul Hynes QC why he never mentioned these abductions to the police, he said he "didn't trust them" and feared seeming "like a mad man".

The trial continues.