ISIS follower jailed by London court for sharing videos of killings on Telegram

The defendant’s posts were viewed by hundreds of people, court was told

Ali Abdillahi was jailed for eight years and 10 months after he admitted spreading terrorist material. Photo: Metropolitan Police

A man who pledged his allegiance to ISIS has been jailed by a London court for sharing terrorist propaganda, including videos of killings.

Ali Abdillahi, who was born in Somalia and has lived in Britain since childhood, forged a university degree to land a job as a cardiographer at a hospital, the Old Bailey heard.

Abdillahi, 31, who holds a Dutch passport, was found to have used the instant messaging app Telegram in July 2020 to share recordings of an extremist preacher telling followers to take up arms and two ISIS videos that showed graphic content including propaganda murders.

The view count on the material ranged from 280 to 1,300, the court was told.

Ali Abdillahi used the instant messaging app Telegram to share graphic content, including video of propaganda killings by ISIS. AFP

Abdillahi’s devices were seized and examined after he was arrested at his home in Enfield, north London, in August 2020. On Monday, he was jailed for eight years and 10 months.

Writings in a notebook revealed his extremist mindset, while officers uncovered his “pledge of allegiance” to ISIS on his mobile phone, the court heard.

On the second day of his trial in November, Abdillahi admitted five counts of distributing a terrorist publication.

He had previously admitted perverting the course of justice by pretending to have a biomedical science degree from the University of Hertfordshire as part of an effort to win bail.

He also claimed to be studying for a master’s degree but withdrew his application after investigations showed the information was false.

Abdillahi admitted a further charge of fraud by false representation.

In July 2020, he put fake details on his CV to work as a cardiographer through an agency, the court was told.

If it was not for a forged certificate and false details on his CV, Abdillahi would not have been given the job at Croydon University Hospital in south London.

No concerns were raised about his work and he earned £2,100 ($2,742) before his employment ended upon his arrest on August 7, 2020.

On Monday, Mr Justice Sweeney jailed him for eight years for disseminating terrorist publications, plus 10 months for perverting the course of justice.

He added three years on extended licence but imposed no separate sentence for the fraud charge.

Commander Richard Smith, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the accused had glorified ISIS with the information he shared.

“Extremist propaganda online is extremely harmful and is a means by which terrorist groups seek to radicalise people all over the world,” Cmdr Smith said.

“Abdillahi sent videos and recordings glorifying extremist violence to promote the hate-filled mindset he supported to others.

“Covid-19 restrictions were in force when the investigation was launched, but this did not stop officers acting quickly and building a strong case against Abdillahi.”