Umar Hafeez jailed for downloading terrorism guides

Umar Hafeez had downloaded terrorism material on a laptop

A man with hundreds of terrorism documents, videos and guides for making explosives has been jailed.

Umar Hafeez, 38, of Heaton Road, Bradford, admitted having the guides and videos but had said he was "writing a book".

He admitted 13 counts of having a record useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Judge Tom Bayliss jailed Hafeez for four years and seven months at Leeds Crown Court.

Hafeez had also written a letter promoting martyrdom, and counter-terrorism police said he supported the Islamic State group and had "anti-Western sentiment".

He was given an extended one year licence to be served after his custodial sentence meaning if he breaks any of the terms he will be returned to prison.

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Hafeez claimed he downloaded the material for research to write a book, but police said they had found no evidence of attempts to start any such work.

In 2015 he had written a letter hoping other members of his family "could be brave, be able-bodied and use the skills they learned to become a martyr".

Det Ch Supt Martin Snowden of Counter Terrorism Policing North East. said: "Hafeez knew that much of the material he had downloaded had been produced by proscribed groups and the violent and extreme nature of the content."