A WOMAN originally from Co Tyrone who wanted to raise her children under Islamic State in Syria was jailed for two and a half years yesterday.
Muslim convert Lorna Moore (34), originally from Omagh but living in Walsall in England, was planning to take her three young children to the war zone - including an 11-month-old baby.
Moore failed to tell authorities her husband Sajid Aslam (34), who she met when they were both students in Manchester, was about to leave for Syria.
Ayman Shaukat (28), of Pargeter Street, Walsall, was also convicted of preparing terrorist acts by helping Aslam and Muslim convert Alex Nash (22) on their way.
Shaukat was jailed for a total of 10 years with a five-year extended licence, while Nash was jailed for five years with a one-year additional licence.
Sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Charles Wide described Moore as a "very strong character" and said she "knew perfectly well of your husband's dedication to terrorism".
He said she had told "lie after lie" to the jury and that some of her evidence was "nonsense".
At the time of Aslam's departure in August 2014, Moore had taken the rest of the family on a Butlin's holiday in Skegness.
The day after dropping him off at the airport, Shaukat sent a photograph of himself on his mobile phone posing with the IS flag.
As Aslam crossed into Syria, he sent a triumphant coded message back to Shaukat in the form of a video link to a song called I Made It by Cash Money Heroes.
Within months, Moore had booked flights to Palma, Majorca, but her final destination was given away in a text from Nash's pregnant wife in Turkey saying "see you there".
Moore insisted she would "never" put her children's lives in danger, adding: "They mean the world to me."
She claimed her relationship with Aslam ended after he became abusive and they only lived together for the sake of the children who are now aged three, nine and 10.
Other members of the West Midlands group allegedly set off for Syria between July and December 2014.
The first to join IS was Muslim convert Jake Petty (25), also known as Abu Yaqoob Britany, who was killed in December 2014.
Petty was swiftly followed by former schoolmate Isaiah Siadatan (24) whose pregnant wife Kerry Thomason was prevented from joining him.
Siadatan is believed to have been killed in the summer of 2015, although his death is unconfirmed.
The judge described Thomason as "naive" and said her husband made "ugly threats" in trying to persuade her to join him.
She was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years for assisting her husband in preparation of his terrorist acts.
Nash and his pregnant wife Yousma Jan (20) were arrested by Turkish authorities and sent back to the UK.
He took sole responsibility for the plan and admitted preparing acts of terrorism, while a charge against Jan was discontinued.
