Middlesbrough teenager sentenced for terrorism offences

Nadir (aged 19 and a resident of Clough Close) was sentenced on 1 September after he was found guilty (during his trial back in June) of possessing articles for a terrorist purpose and disseminating terrorist publications.

The Jury heard how Nadir had researched the mock explosive vest worn during the Heaton Park Synagogue attack before placing an order for a similar vest hours later. On the day the vest was delivered, Nadir added 500 steel ball bearings to his online shopping basket. He recorded a video of himself wearing the vest, modified with a fake wire and trigger, and overlaid the sound of an explosion before sharing it on Telegram.

In the searches that followed Nadir’s arrest in October last year, officers found the weighted vest in his wardrobe, handwritten texts promoting martyrdom operations and a wealth of terrorist material stored on his mobile devices. This material included Daesh propaganda videos and a series of texts calling for the killing of ‘disbelievers’.

Nadir was rigidly committed to his views and had an unhealthy interest in weapons. He continually sought out like-minded audiences online, rejecting anyone who challenged his twisted and violent rhetoric. Online chats and voice notes revealed his increasingly extreme mindset and a desire to use violence in order to create fear.

Disturbing combination 

It was the disturbing combination of these escalating views and behaviours that ultimately led to his arrest and charge. On his release, Nadir will be subject to an extended licence of three years, a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years and a Terrorism Notification Order for 30 years.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley (head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East) said: “The evidence uncovered during this investigation clearly demonstrates Nadir’s deep-seated beliefs, which grew significantly over a two-year period. His possession of the weighted vest, and the pending purchase of ball bearings, makes them all the more concerning.”

Dunkerley continued: “Nadir wasn’t simply in possession of high volumes of material which encouraged acts of terrorism. He deliberately shared terrorism guides and propaganda online and regularly used chat rooms to promote violence and justify martyrdom to others.”

In conclusion, Dunkerley noted: “There is no telling what harm this information could do in the hands of the wrong person. The public can help us to combat extremist content online. If anyone comes across suspicious or concerning material, they can report it in confidence at gov.uk/ACT.”