19/09/2008

'Teenage Terrorist' Given Two Year Sentence

A teenager labelled Britain's youngest terrorist, has been sentenced to two years in a young offenders institution.

Hammaad Munshi, 18, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was arrested in 2006, when he was 16 years old.

He was found guilty of making a record of information likely to be used for terrorist purposes. However, he was cleared of possessing terrorist material.

The GCSE student, and grandson of a leading Islamic scholar was found to have had blueprint promoting "murder and destruction" stored on his PC, as well as notes on martyrdom hidden under his bed.

During the trial at Blackfriars Crown Court, the jury heard the teenager had downloaded files with information on napalm, detonators and grenades.

Munshi was convicted alongside two other men, Aabid Khan, 23, and Sultan Muhammad, 23.

Khan, described as a "Mr Fixit" of the terrorist world was arrested in June 2006 on his way back from Pakistan. He was said to be a "key player" in radicalisation via the internet.

Khan was sentenced last month to 12 years in prison for possessing or making documents promoting terrorism, while Muhammad was sentenced to 10 years for similar offences under the Terrorism Act.

The court heard Munshi was recruited by Khan when he was 15-years-old.

(JM)

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