Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prison

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Shazib Khan has been released from prison after serving just four years (Image: PA)
Shazib Khan has been released from prison after serving just four years (Image: PA)

A British-born terrorist who tried to join ISIS and whose nephew planned to kill US airmen in the UK has been released from prison after just four years.

Shazib Khan was sentenced to eight years in jail in 2016, aged 23, and was described by a judge at the time as "absolutely committed to the Jihadi creed".

Justice Edis said at Kingston Crown Court, in southwest London, Shazib frequently expressed a desire for martyrdom and had no doubt he fully intended to do harm.

He added that the defendant was more of a threat than his nephew Junead Khan, who had plotted to stab US servicemen outside an airbase.

He was sentenced to life but this was eventually reduced at the Court of Appeal to 20 years inside with five on licence.

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Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prisonJunead Khan plotted to kill service personnel at air bases in the UK (PA)
Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prisonJunead Khan remains in prison (Metropolitan Police)

Shazib Khan also saw his sentence cut to seven years and he became eligible for parole in 2020.

It has since emerged that the now 29-year-old was released in October of that year, reports the Mail Online.

Strict conditions were imposed on his movement and who he can contact.

Shazib was found guilty in May 2016 of engaging to conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between August 1, 2014 and July 15, 2015.

In February 2015, Shazib bought items of military clothing and kit online.

Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prisonBoth Khans were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court (PA)

He had used Kik Messenger to speak to multiple ISIS fighters in Syria and made it clear he wanted to travel there, the court heard.

Shazib and Junead, both from Luton and of Bangladeshi backgrounds, were arrested on the same day in July 2015.

Junead was found guilty of preparing to travel to Syria to join ISIS and also convicted of the plot outside the US bases.

He was a delivery driver for a pharmaceutical firm and would use this as cover to scout United States Air Force bases in East Anglia.

Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prisonBoth men had links to ISIS (Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

He drove close to RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, RAF Feltwell in Norfolk, and RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire.

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All are bases operated by the US air force.

In messages sent to an ISIS fighter he described missing an opportunity to kill soldiers during one of these trips.

In the exchanges the contact made reference to Lee Rigby, the British soldier murdered in Woolwich in 2013.

Brit ISIS terrorist 'absolutely committed to Jihadi' walks free from prisonAn artist's impression of Shazib Ahmed Khan and Junead Ahmed Khan in the dock (MD Media)

Junead also had photos on his phone of him posing with an ISIS-style black flag.

His computer had an al-Qaeda bomb manual.

He was convicted of preparing for an act of terrorism in the UK between May and July 2015.

Junead remains in prison with no parole hearing listed.

The Parole Board told the Mail: "We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Shazib Khan following an oral hearing in October 2020.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

It added that reviews are "undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care".

The Mirror has contacted the Parole Board.

Ryan Merrifield

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