Ex-boyfriend of Glasgow jihadi Aqsa Mahmood facing jail
Adeel Ulhaq helped a 17 year old flee to Syria to join so-called Islamic State
The ex-boyfriend of Glasgow jihadi Aqsa Mahmood is facing jail for helping a teenager flee to Syria to join so-called Islamic State.
Adeel Ulhaq told the court he believed 17-year-old Aseel Muthana wanted to go for humanitarian reasons and had also considered going to Syria himself to bring home his former girlfriend.
The 21-year-old from Nottinghamshire and his two accomplices Kristen Brekke and Forhad Rahman were found guilty of preparing for acts of terrorism.
Prosecutor Annabel Darlow QC had told jurors that all three defendants shared the same "highly-radical ideology'' and support for waging war in Syria. Two of the defendants, Rahman and Ulhaq, were part of a network of friends online who were committed to the violent struggle.
That included two brothers from Portsmouth, Tuhin Shahensha and Mustaqim Jaman.
The third brother, Ifthekar Jaman, was killed while fighting in Syria for IS, in December 2013.
All three defendants played different roles in their mission to help Muthana achieve his goal to reach Syria and all but Brekke expressed a desire to follow suit, the court heard.
Rahman was key in funding Muthana's trip, Ulhaq had good contacts in Syria and gave practical advice while Brekke helped purchase kit and let the teenager use his computer.
Muslim convert Brekke, 20, had been good friends with Muthana since they worked together at an ice cream parlour in Cardiff.
The prosecution said he was well aware of his aim, and cited the evidence of a home-made video of the pair posing with an imitation gun on Asda Hill above Cardiff.
Brekke, who did not know his co-defendants before, gave a variety of explanations for his stash of gear, including claims they were impulse buys and he was preparing for a camping trip to the Brecon Beacons.
Muthana became fast friends with Rahman online and sent him the video clip from Asda Hill in which he proclaimed: "If you are watching this, I'm probably dead or I'm probably a legend or something.''
The pair met up in London, where Rahman was working for Addison Lee, and exchanged affectionate messages referring to each other as "cutie'', "honey'' and "babe'', a court heard.
He knew at the time he helped Muthana that it was dangerous in Syria as two months before, his acquaintance Iftekhar Jaman was killed in battle.
In his defence, Rahman, 21, from Cirencester, Gloucestershire, admitted allowing the teenager to use his credit card but insisted he thought he was going to Syria to help people'' by joining a local militia. He said: "When we discussed this, Isis was not the plan''.
Rahman introduced his young friend to Ulhaq who gave practical help online and called on his contacts within Syria to smooth his entry into the country.
However, Ulhaq never met Muthana in person.
Brekke shook his head as the jury delivered its verdict while his co-defendants gave no reaction.
Judge Rebecca Poulet QC will pass sentence on Wednesday afternoon.