'Uncle I need to buy a weapon' pleads Al-Qaeda terrorist - Essex man is busted at Stansted Airport

Rafi Mauro-Benady
·3-min read
Mohammad's mugshot
Mohammad was found guilty of two terrorism funding offences following a ten-day trial at the Old Bailey on April 26 -Credit:Met Police


A man has been convicted of funding terrorism in Syria after sending cash to his nephew who was fighting for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. Farhad Mohammad, 45, of Colchester, Essex, arranged for $350 - about £275 - to be sent over two payments to his nephew, Idris Usman, in the space of three months between November 2017 and January 2018.

Mohammad knew his nephew was involved in terrorist activity. Usman was fighting in Syria at the time for the terrorist group formerly known as Al-Qaeda. Mohammad was found guilty of two terrorism funding offences following a ten-day trial at the Old Bailey on April 26 this year.

The court heard a message sent by Usman to Mohammad in May 2017 read: "Uncle forgive me, God willing I am going to participate in a fighting, either I will stay alive or I become a martyr, it is up to God."

READ MORE: Baton-stealing Met Police officer was once called 'hero' after off-duty arrest to stop tragedy

Usman on the motorbike
Usman was fighting in Syria at the time for the terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as Al-Qaeda -Credit:Met Police

Another message the following month read: "Uncle for the sake of God send me six and a half waraqa ($650), to buy a weapon, it is the one, which I like it, and may God reward you with good."

Among Usman's messages was an image sent in August 2017 of him sat on a motorbike with a gun over his shoulder. On February 27 2018, Mohammad planned to travel to Turkey via London Stansted Airport but was stopped and arrested by counter-terror officers before boarding.

They found over £4,000 in cash and three mobiles which were all seized. Officers were able to produce a timeline of Muhammad's transactions.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "Terrorist groups rely on financial support and funding to be able to operate. While Mohammad's contributions may not have been vast sums, he was well aware his nephew wanted the money to purchase a firearm and to help fund his fighting in Syria.

"Groups like Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham cause huge misery, terror and devastation. If you knowingly fund someone - family member or not - who is part of a group like that, then it is helping a terrorist organisation and it is something we take extremely seriously."

He added: "The use of counter terrorism powers by officers at the airport were crucial in discovering how Mohammad was knowingly funding his nephew's terrorist activities in Syria. And it was the specialist skills of officers within our National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit which helped pinpoint the transactions that led to this prosecution.

"Anyone who might be considering providing financial support to terrorists or terrorist organisations should think twice, as it is a serious offence and, as we've shown here, we will investigate those who are involved in this kind of activity."

Mohammad will be sentenced on June 20 this year. He was also found not guilty on two other counts of terrorist fundraising – linked to alleged payments made in May and August 2017. The jury was unable to reach a verdict in respect of a fifth count of terrorist fundraising, relating to an alleged payment made in October 2017.

Got a story? Please get in touch at rafi.benady@reachplc.com

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