Detectives have released images of a man from north west London who is believed to be a jihadi fighter for ISIS in Syria.
Officers discovered the photographs of Aine Davies on the phone belonging to his wife Amal El-Wahabi after she was arrested and charged under the Terrorism Act.
The 27-year-old recruited her friend Nawal Msaad to smuggle 20,000 Euros in her knickers to Turkey where the money would be sent on to Davies, who used the Muslim name Hamza.
The Old Bailey heard Msaad, who had been studying human resources at London Metropolitan University in Aldgate, agreed to take the cash on the promise of 1,000 Euros in expenses.
When she was stopped at the departure gate on January 16 she said the three-day trip to Istanbul was a “short break” to buy gold for her mother.
She was taken into a private room where she produced 38 500-euro notes, four 200-euro notes and two 100-euro notes from her underwear.
El-Wahabi and her husband made the arrangement through a series of WhatsApp messages.
The same day Msaad was arrested, police went to El-Wahabi’s home where they seized mobile phones and computer equipment.
They revealed Davis, who used the Muslim name Hamza, had kept in regular contact with mother-of-two El-Wahabi since he left London to pursue a jihadist cause.
The jury was shown stream of Skype texts between the couple in which El-Wahabi initially complained of being lonely and begged him to
On Wednesday El-Wahabi, who denied any wrongdoing, was found guilty of making money available with “reasonable cause to suspect that it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism”.
She is the first Briton to be convicted under terror laws of funding jihadi fighters in Syria.
Ms Msaad, from Holloway, north London, was acquitted.
T/Commander Duncan Ball, from SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, said: “A necessary component of terrorism is finance. Whether the funding of terrorism takes place in the UK or overseas, the offences are serious and will be the subject to thorough investigation. In this case, a large quantity of cash was seized which would otherwise have supported fighters in the Syrian conflict.
“This conviction should be viewed as a very clear message not to support those engaged in terrorism. There are well established charities through which people can donate for humanitarian purposes in Syria. These charities have experience in providing humanitarian assistance in high risk, insecure and dangerous environments. Donations should be made via these routes.”
El-Wahabi, who is of Moroccan descent, will be sentenced on September 12.
Related link: Mother from north west London is the first Briton to be convicted of funding jihadi fighters in Syria
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