Parents of 'Jihadi Jack' face terror charges

Parents of 'Jihadi Jack' face terror charges

The parents of a British Muslim accused of joining ISIS have been charged with terrorism offences.

Jack Letts, aka  "Jihadi Jack", who converted to Islam, was suspected of being the first white Briton to join the terror group after he travelled to

Syria two years ago.

The 20-year-old, who reportedly goes by the name Abu Mohammed, married an Iraqi woman with whom he has a son, named Muhammed and they have been living in Raqqa, in Syria since.

Letts' father, John Letts, an organic farmer and baker, and mother, Sally Lane, are accused of making money available for a terrorist purpose because they have been helping their son financially since he went to Syria.

A spokesman for the South East Counter Terrorism Unit (SECTU) said Mr Letts, 55, and Ms Lane, 53, both of Chilswell Road, Oxford, have been charged under section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Mr Letts faces three counts of "entering into or becoming concerned in an arrangement to make available money, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used for a terrorist purpose".

Ms Lane, who is a former books editor, faces that charge and two others of attempting to provide money knowing or suspecting it might be used for terrorism.

However, both have denied their son, who ran off to Syria in 2014 aged 18, has any ties with IS.

He is thought to have told his parents he was going to study Arabic in Kuwait before secretly travelling to Syria.

His parents, Mr. Letts and Ms Lane have both been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 9 June.