An Al Qaeda terrorist – questioned by police for acting suspiciously in Whitehall – was identified as a combatant filmed in Syria six years ago.
Mohammed Yamin, 26, featured in an online video by VICE news posted on YouTube of armed terrorists in Syria.
Yamin, of Southwold Road, Hackney, east London was investigated by the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command.
At the Old Bailey he was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years and ordered to serve a further year on license for Engaging in Preparation of Terrorist Acts contrary to Section 5(1) Terrorism Act 2006.
He was also sentenced to four years consisting of three years imprisonment and one year on license for Membership of a Proscribed Organisation contrary to Section 11 Terrorism Act 2000.
Both sentences are to run concurrently.
On July 10, 2013 Yamin left the UK and travelled to Syria via Romania.
On May 32, 2014, upon returning to the UK, Yamin was arrested at Heathrow Airport under Section 17, TACT 2000 as officers believed he had travelled to Syria in order to provide clothing and equipment to others involved in terrorist activity in the region.
Yamin denied this, and in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, he was released with no further action.
In 2015, a VICE news film, which had by this time been posted on YouTube, was brought to the attention of police.
The film, which had been taken in 2013, featured interviews and footage of various people said to be fighting alongside Al Qaeda in Syria.
Two of the men interviewed on the film wore combat clothing and spoke with British accents.
One of these men was also seen in the film brandishing an automatic rifle.
However, the faces of the men were covered and officers were unable to identify who they were at this time.
In 2017, police officers were alerted to a man acting suspiciously by the ‘Women at War’ memorial in Whitehall.
The man – who was later identified as Yamin – was spoken to by officers.
Whilst he was not arrested at this point, the encounter was flagged to Counter Terrorism officers and, given his suspicious behaviour and the account he gave to the officers, further enquiries into Yamin were made.
As a result of the further enquiries, the officers identified that Yamin may have been one of the men in the VICE news video.
The news video was compared to body-worn video footage taken when police spoke to Yamin in Whitehall, and further enquiries with experts in facial and voice analysis confirmed that the man in the VICE news video was likely to be Yamin.
Further enquiries were carried out, which led to Yamin’s arrest on January 30, this year and he was charged the following day.
Detective Chief Superintendent Alexis Boon of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command is absolutely committed to investigating and bringing to justice anyone who travels to Syria, or anywhere else in the world, to join or engage in terrorist activity.
“Anyone who is thinking of returning to the UK having been involved in terrorism abroad can expect to be investigated and as we’ve shown with this case, we will examine all evidence available so that they are held to account for their actions.”
Any suspicious behaviour or activity can be reported via the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) website at www.gov.uk/ACTor alternatively, call the police in confidence on 0800 789 321.
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