Brothers who plotted to join ISIS from their room admit terror charges

Brothers, 21, and 18, who plotted to join ISIS from their bedroom in Birmingham and threatened former Prime Minister David Cameron admit terror charges

• The brothers pleaded guilty to terror offences at court on Monday, July 10 

A pair of baby-faced brothers who plotted to join ISIS from their bedroom in Birmingham have admitted terror offences.

Muhammad Abdul Haleem Heyder Khan and younger sibling Muhammad Hamzah Heyder Khan had made preparations to travel to Afghanistan when they were arrested on November 2, last year.

The 21 and 18-year-old were found to have encouraged others to ‘shed’ the blood of non-believers, as well as threatened former Prime Minister David Cameron.

The pair had initially denied their crimes when brought before a jury at Birmingham Crown Court last week, but the brothers changed their pleas on Monday, July 10.

The court previously heard the pair had ‘bought clothes and equipment to travel to Afghanistan’ having been radicalised.

Muhammad Hamzah Heyder Khan (pictured), 18, tried to join ISIS from his Birmingham bedroom

Muhammad Abdul Haleem Heyder Khan (pictured), 21, pleaded guilty along with his brother to terror charges

Jurors were told the brothers used encrypted messaging app Telegram and had material on their phones promoting jihad.

The pair, both of St Josephs Road, Ward End, were arrested on November 2 last year by counter-terror police.

A trial began last week but today both defendants pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Harpeet Sandhu, prosecuting, said: ‘Until November 2 these two brothers lived with their parents and other siblings at an address in Ward End, here in Birmingham at St Josephs Road. Over the course of 2022 these two brothers became increasingly radicalised.

‘They had prepared to travel to Afghanistan so they could join and support terrorist activity. They intended to be part of a terrorist organisation know as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).’

Khorasan is a historic term for a region which included modern-day Afghanistan, with the ISKP said to be a ‘regional branch’ of Islamic State (IS).

Mr Sandhu added: ‘The defendants prepared for joining in and supporting terrorist activity including the purchasing of clothing and equipment, conducting research into how they might travel to Afghanistan, including obtaining travel documents, and their preparations included completing application forms to join Islamic State.’

One image found on Haleem’s phone showed the former spokesman of Islamic State wearing a body vest and holding a gun. Another file included a list of equipment ‘possibly for a survival trek’.

The brothers had made preparations to go to Afghanistan to join ISIS. Pictured: A masked Islamic State fighter

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, head of West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, said: ‘We welcome today’s guilty pleas by the pair. 

‘The weight of evidence against them clearly gave them no choice but to admit they were preparing to join and fight for a terrorist organisation.

‘We will continue to protect local communities by working with partners and the CPS to pursue and prosecute all those who show support for terrorism. 

‘We work tirelessly to counter terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the West Midlands area.’

Both men will be sentenced on September 11.

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