Man pleads guilty to preparing acts of terrorism

A man has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to
preparing acts of terrorism.

Shamim Ahmed, 24 (01.03.93) of Stepney has today, Wednesday,
10 May, pleaded guilty to preparing for acts of
terrorism.

On 11 January 2016, Ahmed flew from London Gatwick to Ataturk
Airport in Istanbul. On arrival in Istanbul, Ahmed checked
into a hotel, paying for five nights’ accommodation but the
following day, Ahmed booked a ticket for a flight from
Istanbul to Gaziantep, by the Syrian border – he travelled
there on 13 January 2016.

The following day, Ahmed left Gaziantep and at about 10:45hrs
was detained at Oncupinar Border Crossing by the Turkish
authorities. Two days later, the Turkish Authorities deported
Ahmed back to the United Kingdom where he was met by officers
from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command – he was arrested on
suspicion of preparing for acts of terrorism and subsequently
charged.

Commander Dean Haydon, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism
Command, said: “By pleading guilty Ahmed has
admitted his intention was to join ISIS, a terrorist
organisation, at a time when there was no doubt of the
atrocities that they were committing. That makes him a very
dangerous individual.”

Ahmed will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 14
June.