An Islamist extremist who travelled from the UK to Somalia intending to join the terrorist group Daesh has been convicted following a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation.
Mohamed Mohamoud, 22, of Francombe Grove, Horfield, Bristol, was unanimously found guilty of preparation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, following a three-week trial at Winchester Crown Court.
The Somalian-born security guard had travelled to Somalia in 2025 with the intention of joining Daesh, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK.
The court heard Mohamoud purchased a flight from Heathrow to Somalia via Ethiopia on 13 January 2025. He left the UK on 30 January and returned on 3 March.
Telegram messages revealed ambition to become a ‘martyr’
Counter Terrorism Policing South East officers arrested Mohamoud at his Bristol home on 20 January 2026 and seized a number of digital devices, including a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone.
Examination of the phone showed it had been present at various locations across Somalia during the period of his trip.
Investigators also discovered a Telegram conversation in which Mohamoud sought assistance to travel to Somalia so he could join the “Mujahedeen”.
In one message, he stated that his ambition was to become a “martyr”.
Officers also recovered videos from his phone which prosecutors relied upon as evidence of his Islamist extremist ideology.
The material included Daesh propaganda containing news footage, executions, beheadings, combat footage and battlefield scenes.
Messages uncovered after return to UK
Following Mohamoud’s return to Britain, investigators uncovered further messages in which he stated an intention to commit himself to jihad.
He was arrested in January this year following the CTPSE investigation and was subsequently charged on 26 January 2026.
After hearing three weeks of evidence at Winchester Crown Court, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on Tuesday, 18 August for preparation of acts of terrorism.
Mohamoud will now face sentencing for the terrorism offence.
