'Dangerous' Teacher Jailed For Syria IS Plot

A chemistry teacher from Manchester has been jailed for six years for plotting to go to Syria to join Islamic State fighters.

Jamshed Javeed, 30, was only prevented from joining a group of radicalised young Muslim men abroad because his concerned family hid his passport.

Javeed had already paid for his brother Mohammed and a friend to travel to join jihadi fighters. Both are believed to have since been killed in the fighting.

Judge Michael Topolski QC told him: "You remain adherent to a violent jihadist mindset ... You should be considered to be a dangerous offender."

He said Javeed had been determined to "fight and die for ISIS", adding "so determined were you to go yourself that you continually ignored the pleas of your wife and parents".

The teacher was also sentenced to a further three years on licence.

Javeed was arrested by counter-terror police in December 2013 after applying for a new passport to make the trip to the warzone.

Searches on his computer revealed a fascination with violent Islamist material.

He had looked on the internet for "martyrdom operations in Islam", "soldier shooting in the chest" and "Royal Marine murder".

On his mobile phone, police found a biography of Osama bin Laden as well as audio files of "Constants in the path of Jihad".

He had files of photographs of people dressed in battle clothing, carrying or using firearms, pictures of flags used by ISIS - another term for IS - and images of people parading severed heads.

At the time, Javeed's wife was pregnant with their second child.

His family had recorded arguments which included Javeed's parents and sister begging him not to go while he insisted: "I am going to go regardless."

At one point Javeed's father tells him he will testify against him.

To that Javeed replies "Okay", and "do it".

Javeed admitted two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation of terror acts, accepting that he had transferred £1,400 to his brother's account knowing the money would pay for flights to Syria.

He also confessed planning to travel to the warzone but always maintained he did not have extreme views and intended to join rebels fighting the Syrian president and not Islamic State.

However, police maintained that Javeed was planning to join extremists.

Prosecutor Simon Denison QC told Woolwich Crown Court that Javeed was "preparing himself to commit multiple acts of murder".

The arrest and subsequent confessions have surprised staff and pupils at Sharples School in Bolton where Javeed taught and was well liked.

Pupil Ismai Valli told Sky News: "Everyone was shocked. They didn't want him to go because he was a good teacher."

The police say alarm bells began ringing for Javeed's family over the summer of 2013 when he changed his appearance and became more of an introvert.

Detective Chief Superintendant Tony Mole told Sky News: "What it demonstrates, this case, is whether you're a young, volatile teenager; whether you're a person that is vulnerable to some kind of radicalisation; or you're a normal family man or family woman who appears to be normal; there are certain types of people I think who are susceptible to the propaganda that is put out and susceptible to that type of radicalisation."