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| Isis suspect told parents he wanted to behead schoolfriend, court hears | Isis suspect told parents he wanted to behead schoolfriend, court hears |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The parents of a Muslim convert suspected of joining Islamic State sent or attempted to send him money despite him telling them he wanted to behead a former schoolfriend who had joined the army, a jury has heard. | The parents of a Muslim convert suspected of joining Islamic State sent or attempted to send him money despite him telling them he wanted to behead a former schoolfriend who had joined the army, a jury has heard. |
| John Letts and Sally Lane challenged their son Jack Letts after he responded to a Facebook post by Linus Doubtfire in 2015, the Old Bailey heard. | John Letts and Sally Lane challenged their son Jack Letts after he responded to a Facebook post by Linus Doubtfire in 2015, the Old Bailey heard. |
| Doubtfire had posted a picture of a group of soldiers upon his completion of a commando artillery course, to which Jack had responded: “I would love to perform a martyrdom operation in this scene.” | Doubtfire had posted a picture of a group of soldiers upon his completion of a commando artillery course, to which Jack had responded: “I would love to perform a martyrdom operation in this scene.” |
| The jury heard that when the parents questioned him after his post, Jack said: “I admit it was wrong if I seemed like I was joking. I genuinely believe attacking the British army is a very praiseworthy action … I would happily kill each and every one of Linus Unit personally.” | The jury heard that when the parents questioned him after his post, Jack said: “I admit it was wrong if I seemed like I was joking. I genuinely believe attacking the British army is a very praiseworthy action … I would happily kill each and every one of Linus Unit personally.” |
| The court was told that Jack continued: “This message is for you, Mum and Tyler [his younger brother], I honestly want to cut Linus [sic] head off. I hope he finds himself lost in Baji or Fallujah one day and sees me whilst I’m armed and I’ll put six bullets in his head.” | The court was told that Jack continued: “This message is for you, Mum and Tyler [his younger brother], I honestly want to cut Linus [sic] head off. I hope he finds himself lost in Baji or Fallujah one day and sees me whilst I’m armed and I’ll put six bullets in his head.” |
| His mother responded by asking for proof it was him writing the messages about beheading, the jury heard. The prosecution said this demonstrated that the couple had doubts about whether they were dealing with Jack before they agreed to send money. | His mother responded by asking for proof it was him writing the messages about beheading, the jury heard. The prosecution said this demonstrated that the couple had doubts about whether they were dealing with Jack before they agreed to send money. |
| John Letts, 58, and Lane, 56, from Oxford, are accused of sending or attempting to send their son a total of £1,723 between September 2015 and January 2016 after he travelled to Syria. They deny three charges under section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000. | John Letts, 58, and Lane, 56, from Oxford, are accused of sending or attempting to send their son a total of £1,723 between September 2015 and January 2016 after he travelled to Syria. They deny three charges under section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000. |
| The prosecution claims that from information available to them at them time, they “knew or had reasonable cause to suspect” the money might be used to fund terrorism. | The prosecution claims that from information available to them at them time, they “knew or had reasonable cause to suspect” the money might be used to fund terrorism. |
| Jack converted to Islam aged 16 and left for the Middle East aged 18. He married in Iraq before going to Syria. He is now 23. | |
| The jury heard that in another Facebook post, seen by his parents, Jack shared a picture of himself at the Tabqa Dam in Raqqa. Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, said Jack could be seen “making a gesture with his finger”. | |
| Email, text and Facebook messages later retrieved by police showed his parents’ shock and despair on discovering Jack’s whereabouts, the court heard. Lane told one of Jack’s friends he had phoned her and was “OK for now” but “he’s in the worst place possible and doesn’t want to leave”. | Email, text and Facebook messages later retrieved by police showed his parents’ shock and despair on discovering Jack’s whereabouts, the court heard. Lane told one of Jack’s friends he had phoned her and was “OK for now” but “he’s in the worst place possible and doesn’t want to leave”. |
| She confided to another friend: “I still can’t quite believe he’s been so utterly stupid. I can only think that his mental illness (OCD) was deeper than we thought.” | She confided to another friend: “I still can’t quite believe he’s been so utterly stupid. I can only think that his mental illness (OCD) was deeper than we thought.” |
| John Letts told his son when he showed no sign of returning to the UK: “You are now caught up in a crusade that has left so many lives shattered.” He said Jack was “a pawn … helping to spread hatred, pain, anger, suffering and violence.” | John Letts told his son when he showed no sign of returning to the UK: “You are now caught up in a crusade that has left so many lives shattered.” He said Jack was “a pawn … helping to spread hatred, pain, anger, suffering and violence.” |
| Police began investigating Jack’s activities in early 2015 and warned his parents they could not send him money, the court has heard. When they told their son of this, he responded: “Please convey to the British police that I’m not planning on coming back to their broken country … Convey to them from me: ‘Die in your rage, soon you’ll be the ones being raided.’” | Police began investigating Jack’s activities in early 2015 and warned his parents they could not send him money, the court has heard. When they told their son of this, he responded: “Please convey to the British police that I’m not planning on coming back to their broken country … Convey to them from me: ‘Die in your rage, soon you’ll be the ones being raided.’” |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |
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