Daily Mail
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Twin brothers from east London are facing up to 14 years in prison after admitting fundraising for extreme Islamic groups.Mohammed Shabir Ali and Mohammed Shafiq Ali, 25, admitted at the Old Bailey knowing the money they raised would be sent abroad to be used for terrorism.
The identical twins, from Tower Hamlets, raised the money between August 2008 and June 2011.
Shafik Ali works for Carlyle Security, a firm which has a contract with Transport for London, his brother Shabir is unemployed.
They were arrested at their home in Stepney, east London, last June and found to be in possession of '44 Ways to Support Jihad,' written by radical cleric Anwar Al Awlaki, who died last year in a drone strike after leading al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Previously the court has heard the identical pair raised cash through a 'Dawah' religious stall to send to their brother Mohammed Shamim who is believed to have travelled to Somalia in 2008 to carry out martyrdom atrocities.
Prosecutor Louise Gray said that in 2008 Mohammed Shamim travelled with Tufaul Ahmed and Mohammad Jahangit to the Emirates, Nairobi and then Dubai where it is believed they moved on to Somalia. Their return tickets have never been used.
'It is believed he has gone to Somalia and is participating with insurgents out there,' she added.
Judge Mr Justice Fulford remanded them in custody ahead of sentencing.
Shabir was arrested at their home in east London and Shafiq at a business address in west London in early April.
They appeared in the dock, speaking only to confirm their identities and to plead to the charges. These charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
But the Solicitor General Edward Garnier approved the brothers' plea to the new charge under section 15 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years.
The original charges will lie on file. They will be sentenced at the Old Bailey tomorrow.