Former Liverpool WAG found guilty of funding terrorism
Amaani Noor send £35 to the organisation Merciful Hands in Syria
A former beauty contestant and the ex-girlfriend of a professional footballer has been found guilty of funding terrorism.
Amaani Noor, 21, who fell in love with a jihadi called Hakim My Love after he wooed her with messages sent on her 20th birthday, planned to join him in Syria.
She denied making illegal donations of £35 to help fund terrorism using the false name Margaret Allen and claimed she believed the money would go to buy food for women and children in Syria.
After three hours 38 minutes a jury at Liverpool Crown Court today convicted her by a majority of 10 - 2 of fundraising contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000.
Noor, of Cinema Drive, Wavertree, Liverpool, who broke down in tears in the dock, was warned by Judge Andrew Menary, QC, the Recorder of Liverpool that there “is bound to be a custodial sentence.”
He agreed to a request by David Gottlieb, defending, that a pre-sentence should be prepared on Noor. The judge said he would do so because her age and previous good character.
He also said, “I am not sure even now I know that much about Miss Noor. There is some information, she gave evidence about her background and reference to a previous relationship with someone in the public eye and no doubt significant change in her life since then.”
He told the defendant, who left the court in floods of tears, that she must prepare herself for a custodial sentence.
The judge told the jury, “It is a sad case. You’ve had an isight into this murky and challenging world that some people occupy on line.” He also said that if they glanced on line they would see she had been in a relationship with a professional footballer.
Noor was further remanded on bail until Friday December 20 when she will be sentenced alongside Victoria Webster, 28, of Nelson, Lancashire, who has pleaded guilty to three counts of fundraising contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000.
During the trial the court heard how Noor became serious about Islam after she had a messy break-up with a Liverpool footballer. He was not named but she dated Sheyi Ojo, who is currently on loan at Rangers. He publicly supported her when she was a beauty pageant contestant with the couple touted as the new Posh and Becks.
When she was arrested last year she had flights booked to Turkey so she could head to Syria to join Hakim.
She expressed support for Sharia law and said she didn’t have a problem ‘with people being killed justly’ if they refused to do certain things ‘according to Islam', it is alleged. Noor said she believed her husband was fighting 'to fight against oppression and for Islam'.
The former Miss Teen GB semi-finalist, said she believed the money would go to buy food for women and children in Syria. She told the court she began to focus on her religion after splitting from an unfaithful boyfriend, who was 'in the public eye', when she was 18.
Before her marriage to Hakim, Noor, who was born in Liverpool, was married to a preacher but the relationship ended 'badly', the court heard.
The jury heard on the same day as her wedding to Hakim Noor joined a group called The Merciful Hands, which has been described as being Islamic State (ISIS) on Telegram, after he suggested it.
Noor, who at one point accepted in court that some of her views had been stronger than those held by proscribed terrorist groups, was charged with donating $45, around £35, to The Merciful Hands on May 23 last year for the purposes of terrorism.
The former performing arts student, who had a Youtube channel, said now her marriage to Hakim had ended she felt it was 'stupid', 'bad' and 'wrong'. 'I don't feel proud or happy about it.
Judge Andrew Menary QC told the five men and seven women on the jury: It's a sad case. You have had an insight now into this very murky and challenging world that some people occupy online where people speak casually about some pretty awful things that are going on.
A moment's glance online will tell you Miss Noor was in a relationship with someone in the public eye.
That person was a professional footballer so her life undoubtedly at some point changed dramatically.''
Noor's mother left the court crying following the verdict.
Noor and Webster will be sentenced on Friday December 20.
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