Sunday, November 16, 2014

Teenage suspect in 'Poppy terror plot' tried to travel to Syria six months ago to 'take part in extremist activity'

  • Yousaf Syed one of four men arrested over 'Remembrance Sunday plot' 
  • Had his passport cancelled after trying to travel to Syria six months ago
  • Also has his mobile phone and computer seized after raid on his home
  • On Thursday Syed was arrested again by armed police officers 
  • Has links to so-called 'Supermarket Jihadi' Omar Hussain  
One of the four men arrested amid fears of a Remembrance Sunday terror plot had his passport cancelled after being stopped from travelling to Syria six months ago.

Police seized 19-year-old Yousaf Syed’s passport, mobile phone and computer in a raid on his High Wycombe home as part of a probe into potential jihadis.

He later received a letter from the Passport Office confirming his passport had been cancelled.

Yousaf Syed who has been arrested amid fears of a Remembrance Sunday terror plot. He has links to the so-called Supermarket Jihadi Omar Hussain, pictured 
Yousaf Syed who has been arrested amid fears of a Remembrance Sunday terror plot. He has links to the so-called Supermarket Jihadi Omar Hussain, pictured 

It read: ‘You are a British national who has been involved in Islamist extremist activity. It is assessed in 2013 you intended to travel to Pakistan for extremist purposes. 

'It is further assessed that you intended to travel again for extremist purposes in 2014. It is assessed you maintain your intention to travel overseas to participate in terrorist-related activities and such travel presents a risk to UK national security.’

On Thursday evening, Syed was again arrested by armed officers. The Mail on Sunday understands that a weapon – described as a ‘substantial find’ – was recovered from the home of one of his relatives.

He and three other unnamed suspects from West London, aged 22, 25, and 27, are being questioned in Central London. Police are allowed to detain the men for a further seven days.

Syed, a business studies student at Amersham & Wycombe College, lives with his mother and three siblings. It is understood that he married a 20-year-old woman in May.

However, last night community leaders in High Wycombe claimed that Syed was treated ‘disproportionately’ in the initial raid in April, and alleged MI5 had been regularly contacting the teenager and ‘hassling him’ over the past two years.

A disturbing image of Big Ben and Parliament exploding into flames was posted on Twitter last night by a notorious jihadi. Umar Shishani, pictured on the poster, who is fighting in Syria, also put up the message: ‘Soon! In all cities of the world.’
A disturbing image of Big Ben and Parliament exploding into flames was posted on Twitter last night by a notorious jihadi. Umar Shishani, pictured on the poster, who is fighting in Syria, also put up the message: ‘Soon! In all cities of the world.’

Syed attended the same mosque as British extremist Omar Hussain, who once threatened to ‘bomb the UK’.

Hussain, a 27-year-old former supermarket security guard – who gave an extraordinary interview to the BBC in which he boasted about fighting with terrorists and laughed about beheadings – managed to travel to Syria to wage war despite being known to police.

Further details about the alleged Remembrance Day terror plot have also emerged.

Although there had been claims that a knife attack was to have taken place during the Queen’s visit to the Royal British Legion event last night, sources suggest the target may have been military personnel attending a lower-profile event.


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