A 23-year-old Birmingham man who acted as a self-styled Islamic State media operative has been handed a six-year prison sentence after confessing to being a member of the banned terrorist organisation.
Musa Abdrabba, of Newport Road, Balsall Heath, received the six-year term after entering guilty pleas in September to two counts of membership of a proscribed organisation.
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands detained Abdrabba in Percy Road, Sparkhill in October 2023. Three mobile phones belonging to Abdrabba were confiscated and analysed, revealing terrorism-related material including highly violent footage and bomb-making instructions.
Between January and October 2023, Abdrabba used an online alias to provide a media service for, and on behalf of, ISIS to fellow supporters. His activities included translating social media posts, producing content and driving engagement, as well as offering guidance on how to avoid detection by authorities while operating online.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, Detective Chief Superintendent Alison Hurst, said: "After Abdrabba pledged his allegiance to ISIS in August 2023, he was fully committed to the role of media facilitator to ensure their propaganda was widely shared and updated. He took it upon himself to provide a service to a proscribed organisation and posted extremist material glorifying ISIS. He had no regard for the corrosive impact or the radicalising effect that the material could have on others in our communities."
Each year, thousands of tip-offs from members of the public assist police in combating the terrorist threat. If you witness or hear something that appears suspicious, trust your gut and ACT by reporting it confidentially to police at gov.uk/ACT. Coming forward won't destroy lives, but it could protect them. Action Counters Terrorism. Remember, in an emergency, always call 999.
