A straight-A student worked in an Amazon warehouse to save up to become an ISIS fighter willing to carry out a suicide attack in the UK, a court heard today.
Mubashir Jamil, 22, spent most of his time at home playing computer games, but became fixated with becoming an ‘extreme jihadist’, it is claimed.
The once gifted pupil, who went to an all boys’ school, allegedly had a fascination for violence including the murder of Western hostages by ISIS.
Jamil wanted to bring ‘the taste of immense pain’ to the enemies of the so-called Islamic State and trawled the web for information about ISIS, the Old Bailey heard.
Straight-A student Mubashir Jamil, 22, is alleged to have worked in an Amazon warehouse to save up to become an ISIS fighter willing to carry out a suicide attack in the UK
Prosecutor Barnaby Jameson said Jamil was drawn into a world poles apart from the A* schooling life he led.
He said: ‘Through the World Wide Web, the defendant became an extreme Jihadist radical and follower of the Islamic State,.
‘He became a would-be IS recruit willing to sacrifice his life for IS and indeed the lives of others.
‘He turned from a player of video games into someone willing to carry out suicide attacks in this country on behalf of IS.
‘His preference, however, was to go to Syria and join IS as a jihadist fighter.
‘You will see during the course of the evidence the steps to join IS and bring the taste of “immense pain”, in his own words, to the enemies of the so-called Islamic State.’
Jamil achieved a distinction in business studies and had done work experience at an accountants firm as a teenager.
His interests were described as reading fiction, surfing the internet and physical training on his CV, which he used to get a job at an Amazon warehouse.
Jamil spent his time playing video games at his house in Luton but developed a fascination for violence including the murder of Western hostages by ISIS, the Old Bailey heard
He was educated at the Challney High School for boys in Luton and lived with his mother.
Jurors heard he showed ‘early intellectual promise’ from a young age, obtaining GCSEs which were straight As and A*s.
The court heard he spent most of his free time at the home he shared with his mother, younger brother and younger sister, playing computer games or online.
Jurors heard his interest in Isis began in April 2014 as he searched for Isis chants online.
His research deepened from November 2015 as he trawled the web for information about Isis, jurors were told.
But the prosecutor said his activities turned from ‘passive to active’ in around March 2016.
Jamil was educated at the Challney High School for boys in Luton (pictured) and lived with his mother. It alleged he wanted to become an ISIS fighter
Using the encrypted messaging app Telegram he was allegedly sent an Isis ‘application form’ by someone called ‘Abdul’ using the handle ‘abdullah9996’.
Jurors saw alleged exchanges between Jamil, who went by the moniker ‘ablight123’ and ‘Abdul’.
The court heard Jamil told Abdul he wanted to become a mujahid [fighter] and make hijrah [travel to Muslim lands].
‘In due course, members of the jury, you will have a glossary explaining the terms,’ Mr Jameson said.
He added: ‘The defendant said he worked three months at an Amazon warehouse to get money to make hijrah.’
Jamil allegedly wrote: ‘Also I am not afraid of violent fighting, getting hurt and tortured and hurting others.’
He also said he had shaved off his beard and cut his hair short to avoid suspicion as well as asking about tickets, money and what to take, the court heard.
Jamil, of Luton, Bedfordshire, denies preparation of terrorist acts, involving buying items for travel to join Isis, including a plane ticket to Antalya in Turkey.
The trial continues.
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