Sandeep Samra: Terror accused teen 'planned Syria trip'

Sandeep Samra is facing a trial-of-issue at Birmingham Crown Court

A teenager planned to travel to Syria to "join in with the brothers" and carry out acts of violence, a court has heard.

Sandeep Samra, 18, pleaded guilty to a single count of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts by attempting to travel to Syria between 1 June and 31 July last year.

But she denies intending to carry out acts of violence there.

Miss Samra is facing a trial-of-issue at Birmingham Crown Court.

The court heard Miss Samra, of Alder Road in Coventry, planned to help the so-called Islamic State as a nurse.

But prosecutors allege messages on her mobile phone show she was "going for death" and to "join with the brothers".

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Sarah Whitehouse QC said Miss Samra, a Sikh who had converted to Islam, applied for her first passport in September 2015 but it was handed to the police by her father a month later after teachers became concerned and reported her to an anti-extremism team.

The passport was then cancelled but the teenager applied again in June 2017, and was "quite frantic" when she asked staff at Lyng Hall School in Coventry to countersign documents.

She was then arrested a month later and her phone seized revealing plans to travel to Syria, the court heard.

"In July 2015, when she was 16 years old, it is apparent from WhatsApp messages found on her telephone that she had become a supporter of Islamic State," Ms Whitehouse said.

The court heard messages on two phones belonging to Miss Samra included one showing an execution and another which read: "I'm not going there for safety, I am going there for death" and "May Allah give me death in the cause."

Miss Samra is expected to give evidence at the trial-of-issue on Wednesday.