Birmingham brothers completed IS application forms, trial hears

Two brothers filled in application forms to join the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, a trial has heard.

Muhammad Abdul Haleem Heyder Khan, 21, and 18-year-old Muhammad Hamzah Heyder Khan both deny preparing for acts of terrorism.

The prosecution at Birmingham Crown Court said they became radicalised in 2022 and planned to travel to Afghanistan to join the group.

They were arrested at their home in Ward End, Birmingham, last year.

Opening the Crown's case against them on Wednesday, prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC said: "Over the course of 2022 these two brothers became increasingly radicalised.

"They had prepared to travel to Afghanistan so that they could join in and support terrorist activity."

He went on to tell the court the pair planned to join the group known as Islamic State Khurasan Province and added: "The defendants' preparations included the purchase of clothing and equipment.

"It included conducting research into how they might travel to Afghanistan, it included obtaining travel documents so that they could travel to Afghanistan."

The court heard they were arrested on 2 November 2022 and police searched their shared bedroom, where they recovered phone handsets and a computer tower.

The trial continues.

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