North-West London Man Convicted Over Terrorism Documents
A 42-year-old man from north-west London has been found guilty of multiple terrorism offences after a Met Counter Terrorism investigation. Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed was convicted at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 14 March, on eight counts of possessing documents useful for terrorist purposes.
Eight Terror Charges, One Not Guilty Verdict
Mohamed, born 30 September 1976, faced several charges under the Terrorism Act, including possession and dissemination of terrorist publications. He was found not guilty on one count of spreading terrorist material and two other possession charges.
Harsh Evidence Found in Police Raid
Mohamed was arrested on 20 December 2017 following a search of his home by Met Counter Terrorism officers. They seized two laptops, a smartphone, and a memory stick. The devices contained extremist documents connected to terror groups like Daesh, Al Qaeda, and Al Shabaab.
The materials detailed how to execute knife attacks, arson, and vehicle assaults. Mohamed claimed he was merely studying terrorism in Somalia. But officers said the volume and severity of documents suggested a much darker intent.
Met Commander Issues Strong Warning
“Mohamed tried to make out he merely had an interest in finding out more about the conflict in Somalia. However, it was clear that this was much more than just a passing interest,” said Commander Clarke Jarrett, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. “The documents he had were dangerous terrorist documents, which could be used by someone to help plan and execute an attack. Thanks to the excellent investigative work of my officers, Mohamed is now facing a custodial sentence.”
Next Steps: Sentencing in April
Mohamed was charged in April 2018 and convicted after trial. He has been released on bail and is due to be sentenced on 18 April.
