Sheffield-born 'ISIS bro' sent money to brother in Syria for 'purposes of terrorism,' court told

Dentistry student, Abdulrahman Kaabar, 23, went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court today (Monday, August 6), accused of two counts of entering into a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism, both of which he denies.

Sheffield-born Kaabar, of Martin Street, Upperthorpe pleaded guilty to 15 separate terrorism offences, concerning the possession and dissemination of terrorist material, prior to the beginning of the trial.

He was arrested in relation to all charges at his Sheffield home on August 10 last year, when his phone and other items were seized by police.

Prosecutor, Michelle Nelson, told jurors it is the Crown’s case that on two occasions between September 23, 2016 and January 8, 2017, Kaabar ‘entered into or became concerned in an arrangement to transfer money to and for the benefit of his brother who was fighting in Syria’.

She added: “The Crown allege that in entering into this arrangement to transfer funds, the defendant knew or had reasonable cause to suspect that the money would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism.”

Kaabar’s co-accused, Badroddin Kakaz, 23, of Cross Myrtle Road, Heeley pleaded guilty to one count of entering into a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism prior to the beginning of the trial.

Ms Nelson told the court how Kaabar’s younger brother, Mohammed Kaabar, left the UK with another man from Sheffield called Ahmed Hadrami in March 2016 and flew to Turkey from where both men travelled to Syria.

“The Crown say they appear to have remained in Syria and that both went in order to become involved in fighting to overthrow the Syrian government, which if right, amounts to terrorism,” she said.

'Mindset'

Ms Nelson said Kaabar and his brother, Mohammed, both shared the ‘Salafi Jihadist mindset’ and had resulted in Mohammed going to Syria 'because of it'.

She continued: "Salafi jihadism is a form of revolutionary Islamism. It supports the establishment of an Islamic State by the violent overthrow of all existing Muslim governments who are seen as 'un-Islamic'. The use of violence against supporters of the existing regimes, namely Western governments, is justified to coerce the cessation of that support."

Kaabar, through his dissemination of terrorist material, made it clear that his was 'not a passive state of mind,' said Ms Nelson.

She told the jury: "This meant that when asked for help by Mohammed Kaabar, he provided it with a desire to assist the cause, for that was as much the defendant's cause, as it was Mohammed Kaabar's, though he remained in the UK. We say he offered support, not just through funds he sent, in full knowledge the funds would be used for the purposes of terrorism."

Referring to viewpoints, and material, shared with a number of people electronically, Ms Nelson described Kaabar's interest in the philosophy of proscribed, or banned, organisations such as 'Al Qaeda and certainly up to 2015, that of ISIS too', as 'evident'.

Ms Nelson added that by February 2015, both Kaabar and his brother expressed views critical of ISIS.

Messages sent by Kaabar

The jury were shown a number of messages sent by Kaabar via Whatsapp, and other mediums, to a number of people including Mohammed Kabaar, and Kazkaz as well as Mohammed Awan, who was convicted of preparing for terrorist acts and possessing material likely to be useful to a terrorist at Sheffield Crown Court last December.

In a message sent to a friend yet to be identified by the police, Kaabar said in 2014: “Don't worry about me. I am da ISIS bro Allahu Akbar. I hope you ready for dis ride brow, it guna b an explosive one g trust me.”.."Explosive."

During another communication with the same friend, Kaabar claimed 'we need an Islamic state' to which his friend replied: 'Erm no we don't bruv'.

Kaabar then added: "Yehh well if u wana live under da white order n bow ur head to dem n kiss derr feet u do it now while u have da chance cause sooner or later da Islamic state is cumin insha 'allah n u aint gun b avle 2 do anything bout it."

Charges

Kaabar is accused of two counts of entering into a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism, both of which he denies.

The trial, which is expected to last seven days, continues.