STEPNEY RESIDENT Shahmim Ahmed, aged 24, appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday, 10th May, charged with preparing for acts of terrorism.
The charges relate to a series of events which began over a year ago, on 11th January 2016, when Ahmed travelled to Istanbul’s Ataturk airport. Once in Istanbul, Ahmed checked into a hotel and paid for a five night stay. However, on 13th January he flew on to Gaziantep, near Turkey’s border with Syria.
Ahmed left Gaziantep the following morning and went to the Oncupinar border crossing, where he was detailed by the Turkish auhorities – who deported him back to the UK two days later. On arrival in the UK, Ahmed was met by officers from the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command and arrested on suspicion of preparing for acts of terrorism – an offence with which he was later charged.
Commander Dean Haydon, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said, “By pleading guilty Ahmed has admitted his intention was to join ISIS, a terrorist organisation, at a time when there was no doubt of the atrocities that they were committing. That makes him a very dangerous individual.”
Ahmed will return to court for sentencing on 14th June.
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