West London Man Caught Funding Terror Plot from Barber Shop Upstairs Flat
Terror Funds and Explosives Plans Exposed
Tarek Namouz, 43, from west London, was snared in a May 2021 counter-terror swoop. Police found extremist material on his phone that revealed chilling messages with a Daesh supporter in Syria. The pair plotted to buy weapons and explosives aimed at Syrian government forces.
£11,000 Sent to Terror Group – And Possibly Much More
Namouz, who ran a barber shop in Hammersmith and lived above it, wired over £11,000 to his Syrian contact via a local money transfer bureau. But while on remand, he bragged about sending around £25,000. Detectives seized transaction records totalling £11,280 during the investigation.
Shocking Terror Evidence Found at Arrest
When officers raided Namouz’s flat on 25 May 2021, he claimed to have no phone. But cops discovered a hidden device stuffed beneath a drawer. This phone contained thousands of Daesh propaganda videos, messages, and documents—downloaded from Telegram. Among them were videos teaching how to build bombs and carry out knife attacks.
Guilty Verdict and Upcoming Sentence
At Kingston Crown Court on 1 and 8 December, Namouz was found guilty of eight counts of funding terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000 and two counts of possessing terror-related information. His sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, 5 January 2023.
Commander Richard Smith, Met’s Counter Terrorism Command: “Terrorist groups rely on funding to carry out deadly attacks. People like Namouz, who funnel money here and overseas, enable serious violence. We will always hunt such offenders and bring them to justice.”
