South Warwickshire mum Farishta Jami sentenced to 17 years in prison for trying to take children to Afghanistan to become martyrs for Islamic State
A SOUTH Warwickshire woman has been jailed for 17 years after being found guilty of multiple terrorism offences.
Farishta Jami was convicted of two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 by a jury at Leicester Crown Court. The mum-of-four had planned to flee to her native Afghanistan with her children to become martyrs of Islamic State.
When detectives searched her address in Meon Vale they seized cash, several devices and sim cards in a bag that had been stuffed down the side of her bed. They also found concealed passports. It was also revealed that the 36-year-old had shared graphic and violent extremist material between September 2022 and January 2024 on social media.
During the trial, the court heard how Jami was planning to travel to join Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan to martyr herself while a second charge related to her taking the children. She had researched and saved £1,200 to pay for one-way flights to Afghanistan for herself and her children. In addition, she looked at weaponry and how to assemble and disassemble an AK47 rifle.
Jami, 36, was born in Afghanistan but moved to Britain in 2008. She received British citizenship in 2013 and in 2023 she moved to Stratford where she worked as a dinner lady.
Head of specialist operations for Warwickshire Police, superintendent Darren Webster, said: “This was a complex case interlinking terrorism and serious criminal offences, and we welcome the result. Jami’s actions had the potential for real world implications and the harm they could have cause cannot be underestimated.
"Thankfully, with excellent partnership working between ourselves and Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, we were able to prevent this. If you know of anyone who is viewing or posting extreme content online, please report this – every year reports from the public help us to tackle the threat of terrorism. Above all, vigilance is key, so if you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts, and act.
