Bristol man jailed for 12 years after travelling to Somalia in bid to become Islamic State "martyr"
A court heard Mohamed Mohamoud was radicalised by extreme material online and communicated with AI chatbot recruiters
A 22-year-old man from Bristol who travelled to join fighting in Somalia to join Islamic State in a bid to become a "martyr" has been jailed for 12 years.
Somalia-born security guard Mohamed Mohamoud, 22, from Bristol, was radicalised after viewing extreme material on social media and left the UK to join the terror group in January last year.
The defendant, who was aged 20 at the time and had no combat training, returned to the UK in March last year after his bid to become a martyr for IS failed.
The court was told he was offered a job as a “spy” but turned it down because it was not a combat role in the “killing zone” on the front line and he thought his family contacts in Somalia would identify him.
Following a trial at Winchester Crown Court in August, he was found guilty of preparing for acts of terrorism.
In a sentencing at the Old Bailey on Monday, Mr Justice Lickley jailed him for 12 years with a further four years on extended licence.
The judge told him: “You did everything you could to join IS and were prevented by factors beyond your control.
“I am satisfied if you had joined you would have been used in a combat role.”
Mr Justice Lickley said the defendant was not unintelligent but was “naive” and until he changed his radical beliefs and support for IS he posed a danger to the public in the future.
Previously, the court heard how Mohamoud became interested in religion and joining IS after watching extreme videos on YouTube and TikTok.
His attempts to join IS included interacting with an AI chatbot used by IS recruiters to filter potential new members, jurors were told.
Despite having no intention to come back to the UK, he booked a return flight to Somalia and flew out on January 30 2025.
His bid to be a “martyr” for IS failed because of ongoing counter-terrorism operations and he returned to the UK on March 3.
While in Somalia, an IS recruiter asked Mohamoud if he was aware of the difficulties which made accessing IS-held territory challenging.
Mohamoud replied: “Yeah brother, I am fully aware. I’m longing for martyrdom, honestly, there’s no better moment than right now.”
After coming back to the UK, he continued to keep in contact with IS recruiters and told them: “Any time, you say the word, I will return.”
Counter-terrorism police arrested the defendant at his Bristol home on January 20.
His electronic devices containing IS propaganga were seized and he was charged six days later.
Mohamoud had denied preparing acts of terrorism but admitted attempting to join Islamic State in Somalia.
He told the court that he was born there but his parents separated when he was three years old and he was taken with his younger brother to live with his stepmother in the UAE.
He then lived between Somalia and the UAE until he moved in 2020, at the age of 16 or 17, to live with his mother in Bristol whom he had seen only once since his parents had split up.
The court was told the defendant was a teenager when he arrived in the UK and had limited leave to remain until 2027.
In mitigation, Dominic Thomas said: “He went there to fight and die. He made no bones about it.
“He was not recruited because anyone who might be in a position to recruit him was presumably too busy fighting. The prospect of him causing harm to others was equally low.”
Mr Thomas pointed out that the defendant chose to return to the UK rather than “redouble” his efforts to join IS and was not apprehended for months after coming back to the UK.
He added that the defendant had made some “foolish and unpleasant” comments on his return but was beginning to see his “wrongheadedness” at a low point in his life and there was hope for change in the future.
Frank Ferguson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Mohamoud was determined to join Daesh and took concrete steps to make that a reality. He even utilised an AI chatbot to contact a recruiter in his bid to join the illegal terrorist organisation.
“He actively embraced the organisation’s violent extremist ideology, sought guidance, and travelled to Somalia with the intention of linking up with fighters aligned to the group.
“The evidence showed this was not a spontaneous decision or a misguided trip abroad. His actions were carefully planned and driven by a commitment to support and become a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation.
“The CPS worked closely with Counter Terrorism Policing South East to build a strong case, using messages, digital material and travel evidence to demonstrate his intent.
“Terrorism-related offending remains a significant threat, and we will not hesitate to prosecute those who seek to support or join terrorist groups.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Oliver Wright, head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East, said: “Mohamoud embraced an Islamist extremist ideology and became radicalised through material he accessed online and via social media.
“Our investigation showed he was determined to travel overseas to join Daesh and actively sought ways to do so. His actions demonstrated both intent and persistence, including attempts to use emerging technology such as AI to support his efforts.
“Counter Terrorism Policing officers carried out a thorough and detailed investigation to understand the full extent of the threat he posed and to ensure appropriate action was taken to protect the public.”