Two men who were under police investigation have left the UK to join the Syrian rebels in their fight against Bashar al-Assad.
Abu Aziz from Luton has been convicted in his absence of an attack on a member of the public.
Junaid Hussain of Birmingham left Britain while on bail pending investigation for violent disorder.
Aziz is an associate of Anjem Choudary, the former leader of banned group Al-Muhajiroun and Islam4UK.
It is understood that 32-year-old Aziz left the UK in March with another Briton, Mohammod Alom. The pair apparently headed to Amsterdam before, according to multiple (BBC) sources, going on to Turkey – the route for British fighters seeking to enter Syria to join the rebels.
While it is not confirmed whether the two men crossed the Turkish border into Syria, a friend of Aziz (also from Luton), who wishes to remain anonymous, told 5Pillarz that he thinks the Lutonian has made it to the war-torn country. He said that he believed Aziz would not be returning to the UK as his main objective is to “see the victory of Islam via the establishment of the caliphate or be made shaheed”. He added that his friend would not pose a threat to the UK if he were to return.
A month before he disappeared, Aziz posted a lecture on a social media site calling on Muslims to go to Syria.
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He said: “Why is it that we have become blinded by the dunya that we don’t see what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Bilad al Shaam? Just because they are far away from us it does not mean they are not our family.”
Aziz has not replied to questions on his Facebook and Twitter about his location but in the last few days he’s posted messages about the Syria and Iraq, including a declaration of support for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a splinter group of Al Qaeda. His family were not willing to make a public statement when approached by 5Pillarz.
Junaid Hussain was arrested in July 2013 on suspicion of violent disorder.
Hussain left the UK while he was still under police investigation for the alleged violent disorder. West Midlands Police later decided he would face no further action.
In a statement, the force said that Hussain had not been required to attend a police station or surrender his passport while inquiries were continuing.
Syria
In a report published last year, campaign group Hope Not Hate estimated that some of the British fighters in Syria had links with Anjem Choudary.
Regarding Abu Aziz, Mr Choudary said: “I know Abu Aziz very well. He was very active when he was here. He was always concerned about Muslims abroad.”
Denying any knowledge of Abu Aziz’s whereabouts or playing an active role in sending Britons to fight in Syria, he added: “No one has asked me before they go abroad. They don’t need my permission.”
Earlier on Wednesday, David Cameron warned that the threat from “jihadist fighters” in Iraq and Syria would “come back to hit the UK” if it were not tackled.
The warning came after Foreign Secretary William Hague said that as many as 400 Britons could possibly be fighting in Syria, including some with ISIS, the insurgent group fighting against the government of Nouri al-Maliki.
