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Walsall terror trial: Court shown WhatsApp messages between suspected network

A terror suspect contacted a friend who he was helping to join ISIS in Syria 137 times in 38 days, a trial has heard.

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Ayman Shaukat made repeated phone calls and sent scores of WhatsApp messages to Muslim convert Alex Nash as he prepared and travelled to Istanbul with his wife Yousma Jan from Birmingham Airport, a jury at the Old Bailey was told.

Jody Stephens, an intelligence analyst at West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, presented a huge dossier of calls, texts, and other messages to the court that Shaukat, 27, of Pargeter Street, Walsall, sent to a group of friends from the town – some of whom had travelled to Syria and others who were planning to do so during 2014.

Left to right: Sajid Aslam, Jacob Petty, and Isaiah Siadatan are all believed to have joined ISIS

The information also included 17 calls and messages over four days in 2014 to Sajid Aslam, 34, of Glebe Street, Walsall, who it is alleged he also helped on his journey to Syria.

Shaukat allegedly took Aslam to Stansted Airport where he intended to meet up with friends Jacob Petty, 25, of Slaney Street, and Isaiah Siadatan and fight for ISIS. Petty was killed fighting.

There are also 14 calls or messages to Aslam's wife Lorna Moore, 33, who is also on trial and denies a charge of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.

Trainee teacher Lorna Moore is also on trial at the Old Bailey for terrorism offences

The court heard Nash, 22, of Bentley Street, received 137 messages or calls from Shaukat over 38 days.

Contact intensified on November 4, 2014 – the day Nash and Jan travelled to Turkey.

At 9.52 two tickets were booked to fly from Birmingham Airport to Istanbul in the name of Nash's brother Elliot and Jan. At 10.33am Shaukat texted Nash: "Are we still meeting up today." Nash replied: "Yeh in sha Allah" or " Yeh If Allah wills it".

Clockwise from top left: Alex Nash and Yousma Jan are searched by Birmingham Airport security; the pair walk away from security; a Mondeo registered to Ayman Shaukat exits the airport car park and an ISIS flag found in Shaukat's flat

There were then three calls from Shaukat to Nash between 1.29pm and 1.50pm. And at 2.03pm Jan texts 'see you there xxx' to Moore. At 3.02 Shaukat's silver Ford Mondeo was then captured on CCTV at Birmingham Airport.

There was a further flurry of calls and messages between Shaukat and Nash until they board their plane to Istanbul in Heathrow at 22.31pm after they had to be transported there by coach because of a mechanical problem with the aircraft.

Shaukat denies assisting Nash on November 4, 2014 and Aslam on August 24, 2014 to travel to Syria to commit acts of terrorism.

He also denies a count of possession of illegal extremist material under the Terrorism Act.

The trial continues.

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