Muslim Student Jailed for Jihad Bid

Mohammed Abushamma, 20, from Islington, north London, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for attempting to fly to Afghanistan and fight coalition forces.

His defence barrister, Imran Khan, said that Abushamma was rebelling again his illustrious family - his grandfather was the first president of Sudan.

From the BBC:

Abushamma, 20, from Islington, north London, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in April last year, along with co-defendant Qasim Abukar.

Abukar, from Tufnell Park, north London, went missing halfway through his court case. He was found not guilty in his absence at Croydon Crown Court.

Abushamma pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism.

Mr Justice Bean said: "You were setting out to overthrow the Afghan government by force, fighting against that government and the coalition forces in order to advance the ideological cause of militant Islamism."

The court heard that Abushamma carried out detailed online research into jihad and indicated he would be involved in violence "with a Koran in one hand and an AK47 in the other."