A man who jetted off to Syria to fight with a terror group has been locked up after a Met Police probe. Isa Giga, 32, returned to the UK and was swiftly arrested by counter terrorism officers.
From Heathrow to Syria: Terrorist’s Route Exposed
Giga, from Hounslow, west London, was caught at Heathrow Airport on 23 May 2024 after flying back from Turkey. In 2015, he travelled from London to Istanbul, then on to southern Turkey’s Adana airport. From there, he crossed the border into Syria to join Jaysh Al Fath – a violent alliance that includes an Al-Qaeda linked faction.
Evidence Stacks Up Against Giga
- Emails and social media posts from Giga’s own family revealed he went to Syria to “fight for Jihad.”
- Flight records and bank transactions confirmed his movements and timeline.
- Undercover officers captured chilling conversations in June 2016, where Giga admitted supporting Nusra and expressed a desire for “martyrdom very soon in the first row.”
Met Police Commander Sounds the Alarm
“Anyone who returns to the UK after fighting for a terrorist group will be thoroughly investigated, no matter how long it has been,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. “These offenders will face strict monitoring even after prison.”
Justice Served at the Old Bailey
After a two-week trial, Giga was convicted under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Last Friday, he was jailed for nine years. The message is clear: if you travel abroad to fight terror, you will pay the price when you come home.
