'James Bond jihadi' Samata Ullah who used cyber cufflinks to hide ISIS data and was branded new breed of terrorist is caged

THE "James Bond jihadi" who used cyber cufflinks to hide ISIS data and was branded a "new and dangerous" breed of terrorist has been caged for eight years.

Samata Ullah created a "one-stop shop" for terrorists from his Cardiff bedroom and had USB cufflinks holding a hoard of extremist data, the Old Bailey heard.



Ullah, 34, offered advice to terrorists worldwide on how to stay one step ahead of police and security services.

The court heard he had advised others to use USB sticks to keep information away from "the prying eyes of authorities".

When cops raided his home on September 22 last year they seized 150 digital devices including mobile phones, laptops and computers.

Also recovered were 30 pairs of the metal cufflinks containing tiny USB drives, which police believe Ullah planned to sell to terrorists with material uploaded on them.

One discovered in Ullah's car contained a chilling "wish list" to further the cause of ISIS along with the back catalogue of the terror group's digital propaganda magazine.

On the list, Ullah wrote of "chemical weapons", "viruses", "cyber warfare" and translating a US manual on rocket engines into Arabic in a bid to launch a NASA-style  programme.

Ullah was jailed at the Old Bailey after he admitted five terror offences, including membership of ISIS, training and preparation of terrorist acts.

He was handed an extended sentence of eight years in jail with a further five years on extended licence.

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The court had heard he used the secure messaging app Telegram to offer his services to the "Cyber Caliphate Army".

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command SO15, said: "It is the first time we have seen anything on this scale.

"He had set up a self-help library for terrorists around the world and they were using his library.

"There was guidance on encryption, ways to avoid detection from police and security services, expert tuition around missile systems and a vast amount of propaganda.

"He was self-taught. He has accessed it online himself and compiled a lot of material and put it into his own library. He has created a one-stop shop for terrorists.

"In my view he was a very dangerous individual although he was operating from his bedroom."



Police launched a probe into Ullah following the arrest of alleged ISIS terrorist Abu Fidaa, who is facing trial in Kenya.

The FBI discovered messages sent between the pair including one in which Ullah said: "we should also try recruiting people from Turkish or Pakistani defence companies as Turkey and Pakistan have the technology to destroy or jam drones or planes."

Ben Emmerson QC, mitigating, said Ullah became part of a group of online extremists dubbed "ISIS fanboys" after being radicalised by Fidaa.

He said the offences had been committed from the bedroom of Ullah's mother's terraced house, adding his client was living an "impoverished and purposeless life" arising from his Asperger's syndrome.

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