Warwickshire mother facing jail over plan to join terror group in Afghanistan

A 36-year-old mother has been found guilty of two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism after planning to travel to join the affiliate of the so-called Islamic State in Afghanistan, Isis-K.

Farishta Jami, from Stratford-upon-Avon, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday on charges brought under section 5 of the 2006 Terrorism Act relating to her conduct between September 2022 and January last year.

Warwickshire Police said the court heard Jami was planning to travel to Afghanistan “to martyr herself” and had saved £1,200 to pay for one-way flights to Afghanistan for herself and her children.

Jami had shared graphic and violent extremist material on social media, posting videos, documents and images as well as participating in multiple group chats and channels that support the so-called Islamic State.

Police said she had also researched weaponry and gathered information relating to the assembly and disassembly of an AK-47 rifle.

Commenting on the case, the head of specialist operations for Warwickshire Police, Superintendent Darren Webster, said: “This was a complex case interlinking terrorism and serious criminal offences, and we welcome the outcome today.

“Jami’s actions had the potential for real-world implications and the harm they could have caused cannot be underestimated.

“Thankfully, with excellent partnership working between West Midlands Counter Terrorism Police and ourselves, we were able to prevent this.”

Jami is due to be sentenced on Friday.