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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man pleads guilty in terror case | Man pleads guilty in terror case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man has pleaded guilty to possessing articles for terrorist purposes. | A man has pleaded guilty to possessing articles for terrorist purposes. |
| Abdul Rahman, 25, also pleaded guilty to disseminating terrorist propaganda and aiding or abetting the breach of a control order. | Abdul Rahman, 25, also pleaded guilty to disseminating terrorist propaganda and aiding or abetting the breach of a control order. |
| The mobile phone shop worker had been due to stand trial for the offences at Manchester Crown Court. | The mobile phone shop worker had been due to stand trial for the offences at Manchester Crown Court. |
| Pakistan-born Rahman, of Cheetham Hill, Manchester, admitted possessing a "call to arms" letter which encouraged jihad in Afghanistan. | Pakistan-born Rahman, of Cheetham Hill, Manchester, admitted possessing a "call to arms" letter which encouraged jihad in Afghanistan. |
| The letter had been sent by his friend and former housemate Aslam Awan, who was fighting in Afghanistan and is now banned from entering the UK. | The letter had been sent by his friend and former housemate Aslam Awan, who was fighting in Afghanistan and is now banned from entering the UK. |
| Rahman admitted having the letter with a view to circulating it to encourage others to join the jihad. | Rahman admitted having the letter with a view to circulating it to encourage others to join the jihad. |
| Parmjit Cheema, prosecuting, told the court that Rahman was part of a radical "cell" who believed in fighting a holy war. | |
| "What this group, particularly this defendant were involved in, we say, was scouting, recruiting and encouraging others to join their philosophy of extreme jihad or holy war," Ms Cheema said. | |
| Control order | Control order |
| Rahman was also accused of the more serious charge of assisting another person to commit or prepare a terrorist act, which carries a possible life sentence. | Rahman was also accused of the more serious charge of assisting another person to commit or prepare a terrorist act, which carries a possible life sentence. |
| He formally entered a not guilty plea to the offence and instead, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aiding and abetting a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to break a control order. | He formally entered a not guilty plea to the offence and instead, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aiding and abetting a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to break a control order. |
| Rahman helped the man flee to Pakistan by paying his airfare. | |
| Rahman admitted the offences as part of a plea bargain agreed after the judge, his Honour Clement Goldstone QC, indicated that the defendant would only be jailed for a maximum of six years if he was to plead guilty and avoid a trial. | |
| Rahman came to the UK in September 2004 on a four-year student visa to study at Dundee University, but quit the course after one day. | Rahman came to the UK in September 2004 on a four-year student visa to study at Dundee University, but quit the course after one day. |
| He then moved to Manchester where he began working in a mobile phone shop. | He then moved to Manchester where he began working in a mobile phone shop. |
| All the charges relate to activity between April 2006 and January 2007. | All the charges relate to activity between April 2006 and January 2007. |