Voice of America
27 May 2023, 00:37 GMT+10
london - A London court jailed a British man for life on Friday for traveling to Syria to join the Islamic State group nearly a decade ago.
Judge Mark Lucraft handed Shabazz Suleman, from High Wycombe northwest of London, the prison term for making his way to Syria to enlist in the terror group, which is barred by English law.
'You went to Syria in order to join IS. You understood IS was a proscribed organization in English law,' the judge said as he passed sentence at London's Old Bailey criminal court.
'Your ambition was to become a sniper,' he noted.
Suleman, 27, pleaded guilty last month of preparing acts of terrorism by traveling from the U.K. to Turkey in August 2014, when he was 18, to join IS in Syria.
He disappeared while on a family holiday to Turkey, which borders Syria and has long been a gateway to the war-ravaged country for Western would-be jihadists.
Suleman was arrested at Heathrow Airport in September 2021 and charged with various terror offenses, including receiving training in the use of firearms as well as belonging to a proscribed organization.
Suleman will serve a minimum term of nine years and six months under the life sentence.
Tried to desert IS
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson told the court that while attempting to travel to Syria, Suleman was held by Turkish forces before opting to be part of a prisoner swap with IS.
Once inside Syria, he posted on social media about his experiences in IS territory and later gave incriminating interviews to Britain's Sky News.
Later he became disenchanted with jihadism and tried to desert the terrorist group, the court was told.
Following the collapse of IS, he was taken captive by a faction of the Free Syrian Army in 2017, before being transferred to Turkey and then Pakistan.
His lawyer, Abdul Iqbal, said Suleman had been an 'immature and idealistic' young man who wanted to help people 'in distress' and who participated in 'non-combat duties' with IS.
He added that his client had decided within five months of joining the terrorist organization that he wished to flee.
Get a daily dose of Iran Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Iran Herald.
More InformationNEW YORK CITY, New York: With just weeks to spare before a potential government default, U.S. lawmakers passed a sweeping tax and spending...
PARIS, France: Fast-fashion giant Shein has been fined 40 million euros by France's antitrust authority over deceptive discount practices...
PALO ALTO/TEL AVIV: The battle for top AI talent has claimed another high-profile casualty—this time at Safe Superintelligence (SSI),...
FRANKLIN, Tennessee: Hundreds of thousands of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are being recalled across the United States due to a potential...
REDMOND, Washington: Microsoft is the latest tech giant to announce significant job cuts, as the financial strain of building next-generation...
LONDON UK - U.S. stock markets were closed on Friday for Independence Day. Global Forex Markets Wrap Up Friday with Greeback Comeback...
CAIRO, Egypt: This week, both Hamas and Israel shared their views ahead of expected peace talks about a new U.S.-backed ceasefire plan....
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
GENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
Tel Aviv [Israel], July 6 (ANI/TPS): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's departure for Washington was delayed Sunday as tensions escalated...
ABU DHABI, 6th July, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates has expressed its sincere condolences and solidarity with the United States...