ABU DHABI // A father reported his son to authorities after he had travelled to Turkey to try to join ISIL, the Federal Supreme Court heard on Monday.
MAA, 22, is accused of attempting to travel to Syria to join the terrorist organisation to participate in its activities.
The court heard he reached Turkey before having second thoughts and returning to the UAE the next day.
MAA is one of four men on trial for attempting to join ISIL.
Another defendant, FMD, 24, had his tickets and passport ready for travel with MAA, but did not leave the UAE.
When FMD’s family found out about his plan, they managed to persuade him not to leave.
KSS, 19, also plotted with the other two defendants to join ISIL and managed to reach Syria. He has subsequently returned to this country and was present in court on Monday.
Another defendant, AGZ, 22, is being tried as a co-conspirator for allegedly helping KSS join ISIL by dropping him off at Dubai International Airport.
He had also helped the other two in their plan to join ISIL by offering them lifts to the airport.
The defendants previously denied all their charges.
During the hearing on Monday, MAA’s father said his son had called him upon reaching Turkey and said he had wanted to return.
“He said his return ticket was days away and he wanted to come back immediately, so I booked the first flight back,” said the father.
“Before he left I had reported that he was missing. The next day when he arrived in Dubai airport, I took him directly to the authorities. My purpose was to protect my son from external threats and I used it as a preventative measure,” the father said.
Another witness, OD, said FMD’s brother and another man had previously traveled to Syria and joined ISIL, then had persuaded the defendants to also try to join.
The group had been studying in the United States and would meet in KSS’s apartment to discuss topics such as jihad and the Syrian conflict, the witness said.
The group also had time to “exercise and strengthen their bodies”, he said,
The case was adjourned to December 21.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
