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https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s/how-first-class-university-student-22417711
A first class university student became ‘radicalised’ and began supporting Islamic State after being ‘sucked in’ by online propaganda.
Wissam Ziad, from Levenshulme, shared terrorist material which glorified and promoted the terrorist organisation, also known as Daesh.
He used social media platforms including Telegram, Discord and Tam Tam to share videos and documents within a network of fellow extremists.
Ziad, 20, had done ‘exceptionally well’ at school, and got a first during his first year at Manchester Metropolitan University where he studied mechanical engineering.
But now he’s starting a jail sentence for terror offences.
His barrister said he began research online and went down a ‘rabbit hole’….
Ziad was found to be active within chat groups where he shared videos and links to extremist material, prosecutor Sean Larkin QC said.
He was an administrator of some groups, and police said he had a ‘colossal’ amount of propaganda material on his electronic devices.
Some of it encouraged people to ‘wage war against the West’ and kill non-Muslims, with videos depicting IS fighters in combat and a commander making a speech.
Ziad was arrested in May last year, before being released under investigation.
His lawyer said he then stopped viewing such material, before being arrested again in June.
Now he’s been jailed for three years and five months, and given an extra 12 months on licence….
“You were at that time a young man with an extreme mindset,” Judge Patrick Field QC told him.
“You were a supporter of Daesh or Islamic State.
“You tell me in the letter you have written to me, how you were sucked in by extremist propaganda you discovered online, and you became, in short, radicalised.
“It is clear however you encouraged others to join you in that support.”
The judge described Ziad as an ‘articulate and intelligent’ young man.
He gained a first in the first year of his studies at university.
Ziad had been on the internet researching information about ‘philosophies of life’ and religion, before becoming involved in chat rooms and social media, his barrister Joanne Cecil said.
He did ‘exceptionally well’ at school, completing his GCSEs and A Levels, but went down a ‘rabbit hole’ and started viewing ‘degrading and dangerous’ material, she said.
Being prosecuted has been a ‘sharp wake up call’ for Ziad, and his arrest came as an ‘enormous shock’ to his family.
“He is a bright young man, he has taken a path that has ultimately resulted in him spending a considerable and important period of his life in custody,” Ms Cecil said.
“But he has demonstrated a capability and willingness to change.
“He is fortunate that he has a very strong and supportive family around him.”
Ziad, of Central Avenue, Levenshulme, admitted six counts of disseminating terrorist publications, one count of encouraging terrorism and one of supporting a proscribed organisation….
