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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| British jihadist Imran Khawaja jailed for 12 years | British jihadist Imran Khawaja jailed for 12 years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British jihadist who fled to Syria and joined a militant group with links to so-called Islamic State has been given a 12-year custodial sentence. | A British jihadist who fled to Syria and joined a militant group with links to so-called Islamic State has been given a 12-year custodial sentence. |
| Imran Khawaja, from west London, spent six months in Syria, during which he was pictured posing with severed heads. | Imran Khawaja, from west London, spent six months in Syria, during which he was pictured posing with severed heads. |
| Khawaja, 27, was arrested in Dover last June after faking his death and trying to return to the UK undetected. | Khawaja, 27, was arrested in Dover last June after faking his death and trying to return to the UK undetected. |
| He admitted preparing for acts of terrorism, attending a camp, receiving training and possessing firearms. | He admitted preparing for acts of terrorism, attending a camp, receiving training and possessing firearms. |
| Delivering his decision, judge Mr Justice Baker said Khawaja posed "a significant risk of serious harm" to the public. He will serve a minimum of eight years and also serve 5 years on licence. | |
| His cousin, Tahir Bhatti, from Watford in Hertfordshire was jailed for 21 months. He will serve half of his sentence. | His cousin, Tahir Bhatti, from Watford in Hertfordshire was jailed for 21 months. He will serve half of his sentence. |
| Bhatti had driven to Serbia to collect Khawaja and bring him back to the UK. | Bhatti had driven to Serbia to collect Khawaja and bring him back to the UK. |
| Asim Ali, from Ealing in west London - who provided his friend Khawaja with funds - was also given 21 months in prison. | Asim Ali, from Ealing in west London - who provided his friend Khawaja with funds - was also given 21 months in prison. |
| At Woolwich Crown Court, Khawaja's counsel Henry Blaxland QC told the court his client had a very low IQ and had been "indoctrinated" in the months before he fled for Syria, in January 2014. | |
| But Mr Justice Baker described Khawaja, who joined the Rayat al-Tawheed (RAT) insurgents, as a "willing and enthusiastic" participant in recruitment films. | |
| And he dismissed Khawaja's claim that he came home to see his family and regretted his actions. | And he dismissed Khawaja's claim that he came home to see his family and regretted his actions. |
| Terrorist training | |
| The judge said: "It is clear in the last few years you have been showing an increasing interest in Islamic jihadist material. | The judge said: "It is clear in the last few years you have been showing an increasing interest in Islamic jihadist material. |
| "You took part in the production of films designed to promote the Islamic State cause and encouraging UK muslims to join you in jihad. | "You took part in the production of films designed to promote the Islamic State cause and encouraging UK muslims to join you in jihad. |
| "Your interest was sufficiently profound for you to travel to Syria to train for jihad. | "Your interest was sufficiently profound for you to travel to Syria to train for jihad. |
| "I'm also satisfied, by the time you decided to return to the UK, you had completed your terrorist training." | "I'm also satisfied, by the time you decided to return to the UK, you had completed your terrorist training." |
| Khawaja showed no emotion as he was led from the court. | Khawaja showed no emotion as he was led from the court. |
| Messages from his family were read to the court on Thursday. | |
| In them, he lied about when he was coming home from Syria, before confiding he was there to die a martyr. | |
| The court saw a video of Khawaja posing with severed heads in the Middle East country. | |
| Dozens of images of him posing with automatic weapons and tanks were also produced. | |
| The court was also told of social media postings about his apparent death after a fake announcement was made on social media site Instagram. | |
| Prosecutor Brian Altman said the postings provided cover for Khawaja's return to the UK on 3 June. |