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Cyber jihadi with James Bond-style USB cufflinks jailed for eight years over online terror hub Cyber jihadi with James Bond-style USB cufflinks jailed for eight years over online terror hub
(about 3 hours later)
Cyber jihadi Samata Ullah created a “one-stop shop for terrorists” from his Cardiff bedroom, giving advice to like-minded extremists all over the world. A cyber jihadi who hid his support for Isis on a James Bond-style cufflink as he created an online hub of information for terrorists all over the world has been jailed for eight years.
Ullah compiled a comprehensive “self-help” library of terror propaganda and provided guidance for terrorists to help them plan attacks and avoid detection from police and security services. Samata Ullah, 34, created a “one-stop shop” for terrorists from his bedroom in Cardiff, offering a range of guidance on how to stay one step ahead of police and security services.
The 34-year-old transferred information on missile systems and rocket design, the Linxus operating system, and a catalogue of the Islamic State magazine Dabiq onto James Bond-style USB cufflinks, intending to sell them on to terrorists. At the time of his arrest in the city on September 22 last year, he had USB cufflinks with a Linux operating system loaded on it and a hoard of extremist data including 15 copies of the Isis propaganda magazine Dabiq.
The unemployed IT expert was described by a senior counter-terrorism officer as a “lone actor” although he had contact with Isis members online. The court heard he had advised others not to store incriminating information on computers and recommended using USB sticks to keep it away from “the prying eyes of authorities”.
He was caught after authorities in Kenya alerted British police, having linked him to an alleged terrorist there, who is awaiting trial. Ullah was jailed at the Old Bailey after he admitted five terror offences, including membership of Isis, training and preparation of terrorist acts.
Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Met's counter-terrorism command SO15, said: “It is the first time we have seen anything on this scale. He was handed an extended sentence of eight years in jail with a further five years on extended licence.
“He was an internet terrorist. He had set up a self-help library for terrorists around the world and they were using his library. Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command SO15, said: “It is the first time we have seen anything on this scale.
“He had set up a self-help library for terrorists around the world and they were using his library.
“There was guidance on encryption, ways to avoid detection from police and security services, expert tuition around missile systems and a vast amount of propaganda.“There was guidance on encryption, ways to avoid detection from police and security services, expert tuition around missile systems and a vast amount of propaganda.
“He was self-taught. He has accessed it online himself and compiled a lot of material and put it into his own library. “He was self-taught. He has accessed it online himself and compiled a lot of material and put it into his own library. He has created a one-stop shop for terrorists.
“He has created a one-stop shop for terrorists.
“In my view he was a very dangerous individual although he was operating from his bedroom.“In my view he was a very dangerous individual although he was operating from his bedroom.
“We have a number of people accessing his library for advice and guidance as I have described. “We know Daesh were using that material to both seek guidance and instruction.”
“Individuals have been arrested in other countries. They never got to the attack planning stage.” Brian Altman QC told the court: “The prosecution says this defendant represents a new and dangerous breed of terrorist, a cyber terrorist.
He added: “We know Daesh were using that material to both seek guidance and instruction.” ”He deployed his not inconsiderable self-taught computer skills to further the cause of terrorism and in particular Islamic State, which we say he not merely professed to belong to but in fact belonged in terms of membership and ideological affiliation, all (of which) he did from the relative safety of his bedroom in Cardiff, where he lived alone.
Mr Haydon said the use of encryption “frustrates investigations, whether police or security services, allowing terrorists to operate with impunity on the internet”. “From the bedroom of that address, he busied himself assisting others in Isis and others who shared their mindset in keeping their actions secret.”
He said the investigation was “challenging” because it meant a move away from the traditional threats and into the “virtual world”. British counter-terrorism police had tracked him down after being passed intelligence by the FBI, who had been handed the information from authorities in Kenya, who had arrested another man.
Evidence had to be translated and evaluated and fitted into the current laws with help from technical experts from SO15 and MI5. Divorced loner Ullah, who has been diagnosed with autism, was in regular contact with the man via encrypted Telegram chats in which he vowed to use his special skills to help in the Isis campaign.
One hundred officers were deployed when Ullah was arrested in Cardiff in September last year. He told him he would take “whatever advice and knowledge I have and contribute it to the Caliphate”, the court heard.
In all, officers seized, 150 digital devices and trawled through eight terabytes of data, which equates to 250 smart phones or 2.2 million copies of the eBook of War and Peace. From December 2015, he had provided instructional videos on how to secure sensitive data and remain anonymous online with the use of the Tor programme and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption.
He also hijacked 30 dormant Twitter handles for his use and had 50 email addresses and nine phone numbers. In the videos, his voice was modified to avoid detection and he wore woolly gloves to disguise his skin tone, Mr Altman said.
Ullah is a British national who was living alone, having divorced from his wife. He developed a website on computer hacking and kept numerous extremist documents and videos on electronic devices at his Cardiff home.
On his behaviour when he was picked up, Mr Haydon said: “The character in the virtual world is very different from the real world. In all, officers seized 150 devices and trawled through eight terabytes of data, the equivalent of 2.2 million copies of the ebook of War And Peace.
“He started off very meek and mild. In the end it dawned on him what trouble he was in. They also found Ullah had hijacked 30 dormant Twitter handles and had 50 email addresses and nine phone numbers.
“He had a definite thirst for knowledge and was clearly very committed to the cause.” Ullah admitted researching ZeroNet and developing a version of his blog website using the decentralised internet-like peer-to-peer network.
Ullah was born in Wales and had community ties in Cardiff, although he was described as a solitary character. He also pleaded guilty to having a book entitled Guided Missiles Fundamentals AFM 52-31 and an electronic PDF version of Advances In Missile Guidance, Control And Estimation for terrorist purposes.
The senior officer said the “vast majority” of Ullah's material had been taken off the net with help from internet providers around the world. The court heard how Ullah lived alone just around the corner from his mother and sister in Cardiff.
Most of the Twitter accounts had also been deleted, he said. In August last year, he had got a job in the Legal and General pensions department in Cardiff but left before his training was complete on 12 September after being warned about his performance.
Ullah pleaded guilty to five offences including membership of IS and terrorist training through video blogs on counter surveillance, encryption and how to avoid detection. Mr Altman told the court that the Crown disputed the suggestion that his activities were “part of a fantasy life”.
He admitted preparation of terrorist acts in relation to his blog which was designed so it could not be removed by authorities or linked back to him. Sue Hemming, of the CPS, said: “Left unchecked, the actions of Samata Ullah could well have helped others carry out further terrorist attacks either in the UK or abroad.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing articles for terrorism, in the form of the USB cufflinks. In all, Ullah had bought 30 sets. ”Ullah wrongly assumed he could hide behind the perceived anonymity of the online world to help the planning of terrorist attacks.
Copyright Press Association “However, prosecutors worked with police to build a strong case that left Ullah with little option but to admit to his offending.”
PA