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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Extremist students are sentenced | Extremist students are sentenced |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Four Bradford University students and a schoolboy who planned to fight British soldiers and die as martyrs have been sentenced by a court at the Old Bailey. | |
| The judge said they were "intoxicated" by radical Islamist propaganda. | The judge said they were "intoxicated" by radical Islamist propaganda. |
| Mohammed Irfan Raja, 19, received two years' youth detention while Aitzaz Zafar, 20, and Awaab Iqbal, 20, received three years' detention. | Mohammed Irfan Raja, 19, received two years' youth detention while Aitzaz Zafar, 20, and Awaab Iqbal, 20, received three years' detention. |
| Usman Ahmed Malik, 21, was sent to prison for three years and Akbar Butt, 20, was given 27 months' detention. | Usman Ahmed Malik, 21, was sent to prison for three years and Akbar Butt, 20, was given 27 months' detention. |
| They had all been found guilty of possessing material for terrorist purposes. | They had all been found guilty of possessing material for terrorist purposes. |
| According to the prosecution, the group were all planning to go to Pakistan for training before going to fight jihad. | According to the prosecution, the group were all planning to go to Pakistan for training before going to fight jihad. |
| 'Crossed the line' | 'Crossed the line' |
| Recorder of London Judge Peter Beaumont said the group had prepared to train in Pakistan and then fight in Afghanistan against its allies, which included British soldiers. | Recorder of London Judge Peter Beaumont said the group had prepared to train in Pakistan and then fight in Afghanistan against its allies, which included British soldiers. |
| He said the defendants were born in Britain and enjoyed freedom of speech and worship. | He said the defendants were born in Britain and enjoyed freedom of speech and worship. |
| The judge said: "You were intoxicated by the extremist nature of the material each one of you collected - the songs, images and the language of violent jihad. | The judge said: "You were intoxicated by the extremist nature of the material each one of you collected - the songs, images and the language of violent jihad. |
| "And so carried away by that material were you that each of you crossed the line. | "And so carried away by that material were you that each of you crossed the line. |
| "That is exactly what the people that peddle this material want to achieve and exactly what you did." | "That is exactly what the people that peddle this material want to achieve and exactly what you did." |
| He also said the sentences had to be a deterrent "to stop them and you and, to protect this country and its citizens abroad, a message has to be sent". | He also said the sentences had to be a deterrent "to stop them and you and, to protect this country and its citizens abroad, a message has to be sent". |
| You were intoxicated by the extremist nature of the material each one of you collected - the songs, images and the language of violent jihad Judge Peter Beaumont | You were intoxicated by the extremist nature of the material each one of you collected - the songs, images and the language of violent jihad Judge Peter Beaumont |
| The Bradford University students were arrested after schoolboy Raja, of Ilford, east London, ran away from home in February last year. | The Bradford University students were arrested after schoolboy Raja, of Ilford, east London, ran away from home in February last year. |
| The trial at the Old Bailey heard that he left a note for his parents saying he was going to fight abroad and they would meet again in heaven. | The trial at the Old Bailey heard that he left a note for his parents saying he was going to fight abroad and they would meet again in heaven. |
| Raja had been recruited by the students on the internet - Zafar, of Rochdale, Lancashire, Malik and Iqbal, of Bradford, and Butt, of Southall, west London. | Raja had been recruited by the students on the internet - Zafar, of Rochdale, Lancashire, Malik and Iqbal, of Bradford, and Butt, of Southall, west London. |
| Raja had exchanged radical Islamist propaganda materials with them before going to stay with them. | Raja had exchanged radical Islamist propaganda materials with them before going to stay with them. |
| But he returned home three days later after his parents begged him to come back. | But he returned home three days later after his parents begged him to come back. |