Convicted terrorist sent back to jail for consorting with Syrian asylum seekers

A convicted terrorist has been sent back to jail for 15 months for consorting with two Syrian asylum seekers suspected of supporting so-called Islamic State.

The man, identified only as TPD for legal reasons, admitted four breaches of a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpim) notice.

On Thursday, Judge Rebecca Trowler sentenced him to 15 months in jail with a further year on extended licence after finding his behaviour “raised a serious risk of criminal behaviour”.

The judge took account of the defendant’s depressed state and that the breaches occurred at a time his father was dying of cancer.

However, she said contraventions of the Tpim, which is designed to prevent terrorism, were “deliberate” and “persistent”.

TPD was originally sentenced to six years for seven terror offences in 2019.

He was convicted of preparation of terrorist acts having bought a large hunting knife to commit a robbery to finance terrorism by travelling abroad.

He had shared Islamic State execution videos online and assisted another person to travel to fight for the terrorist organisation.

While still in custody in 2021, the defendant committed an assault and was sentenced to a further 20 weeks in jail to run consecutively.

Upon his release in December 2023, the defendant was handed a Tpim notice and warned of the consequences of failing to abide by its conditions.

The Tpim breaches related to the defendant’s association with two men, referred to as O and H, in January and February this year, two years after TPD was released from prison.

In late February, the Syrian nationals who are believed to have arrived in the UK on a small boat last year, were arrested on suspicion of supporting the proscribed organisation Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

It is alleged they had videos and images on their phones although the investigation is ongoing and neither had been charged, the court was told previously.

Prosecutor Julia Faure Walker had said there was no evidence TPD was shown any of the material by O and H.

Outlining his unauthorised association with O and H, Ms Faure Walker had said: “On the first occasion, he went with O to Caffe Nero, and stood in the queue conversing with him, before ordering him a drink.

“On several occasions, he walked with O or H to the hotel where they were staying.

“On the final occasion, he accompanied both men to the hotel and was in the bar area with them for about 19 minutes.”

On February 15 2025, TPD emailed his Home Office contact officer requesting that O and H be added to his approved list of associates.

He wrote: “The reason for this request is that they attend my local mosque, and they gravitate towards me perhaps because our similar age.”

However, Ms Faure Walker said that under the Tpim terms, TPD should have notified the Home Office in advance of meeting the young men.

Following his arrest on February 27, TPD said he was lonely and his mental health was suffering after his father was diagnosed with cancer.

He said he had only ever made polite conversation with O and H about general topics.

In mitigation, Rabah Kherbane said his client’s ability to think rationally and exercise good judgment was affected by the death of his father.