Man jailed for downloading Islamic State terror videos

Ataubaq Taj stored "dangerous digital media on his devices" said police

A man has been jailed for downloading Islamic State group material, including bomb-making videos and a video showing two men being killed with a knife.

Ataubaq Taj, 34, of Hacking Street, Salford was sentenced to six years when he appeared at Manchester Crown Court.

Taj, formerly of Accrington, was convicted last month of making a record containing information likely to be useful to a terrorist.

He was ordered to serve five years in jail and an additional year on licence.

Counter Terrorism Policing North West said Taj downloaded and stored several files of propaganda material on his phone, laptop, USB drives and CDs.

These included an IS video demonstrating the most effective ways of killing with a knife and how to make an improvised bomb.

Taj was arrested and released under investigation after officers searched his previous address in Accrington, Lancashire, in July 2019.

He was arrested for a second time in January and charged in February.

Det Ch Insp Andrew Meeks said the "result comes after months of meticulous investigating from our officers to ensure that Ataubaq Taj has been brought to justice for his possession of dangerous propagandist material".

"While there were no known plans for Taj to put into action the material he was consuming, it was nevertheless alarming that he was storing so much of this dangerous digital media on his devices," he added.