Man accused of joining terrorist group in Syria has case reopened

ABU DHABI // The case of a man who is accused of leaving his family while on holiday to join a terrorist group in Syria has been reopened.

Emirati K T M, 41, is accused of joining Jabhat Al Nusra, taking military and security training there, the Federal Supreme Court heard.

It was said that he was holidaying in Turkey when he left his wife behind to join militants in Syria. Previously, his brothers said he was looking to get married for the second time, and they expected that to be the reason for his travel.

At earlier hearings, a video was shown that appeared to show him wearing all black and singing a national song to children.

The judge had requested an audio and video match test to clarify if it was indeed him in the video. However, he refused to comply.

He said he did not have a mobile phone, so any videos from the phone should be considered void. He also dismissed his lawyer and said he preferred to not be represented.

During the hearing, Judge Mohammed Al Jarrah Al Tenaiji allowed K T M 10 minutes to review the case file and then comment on it.

K T M said the file included many errors and he did not sign the investigation reports because they were not ­accurate.

The trial was then adjourned.

A verdict is expected to be announced on November 23.