A teenager from Brent who fled the country to join Isis before changing his mind has been found guilty of terrorism offences.
19-year-old Yahya Rashid of Willesden, was found guilty of preparation for acts of terrorism at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday (November 13) following trial.
The court heard that Rashid had booked flights for himself and four friends to Morocco in February, with the intent of moving into Turkey before crossing into Syria to join terrorist group Islamic State.
Rashid and the group made it to Istanbul in Turkey before travelling to Gaziantep, close to Syria, where they stayed in an Isis safe house.
But before crossing the border to Syria, Rashid changed his mind and returned to Istanbul where he was detained by Turkish Police and deported back to the UK.
Commander Richard Walton, head of the Metropolitan Police 's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "Rashid made the right decision eventually to return to his family but had, by then, committed terrorist offences.
"He prepared to join the proscribed terrorist group - Islamic State - and assisted others in their preparation to travel to Syria too."
Met police believe his friends continued to Syria where they remain.
Once Rashid had returned home, he was immediately arrested by officers from MPS Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) at Luton airport and was charged on April 1.
Rashid was found guilty of two counts, the first being between 1 November 2014 and 31 March 2015 with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, engaged in conduct in preparation for giving effect to that intention contrary to section 5(1)(a) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
The second was between 1 November 2014 and 31 March 2015 with the intention of assisting others to commit acts of terrorism, engaged in conduct in preparation for giving effect to that intention contrary to section 5(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
He will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday (November 18).
