An individual who worked as an IT consultant in the UK made a decision to leave the country with intentions to participate in Jihad in a foreign land amid a civil war. Isa Giga, aged 32, informed his relatives that he was traveling to Birmingham, but in reality, he resigned from his job and traveled to Syria via Turkey, while the nation was embroiled in conflict. Giga, an employee at the technology firm ANS, later corresponded with his family via email, expressing his aspirations to become a martyr with the Jaysh al Fath terrorist organizations, stating, “I have come here to fight for jihad.”
Back in 2015, when he was 22 years old, Giga resided with his family in Hounslow and tendered his resignation at ANS in August 2015 after a brief tenure of five months. Shortly after leaving his job, on September 7, 2015, Giga flew from Heathrow to Asana, Turkey, via Istanbul, purchasing a return ticket for £808.86 but never returned.
He informed his sister via email on September 8, 2015, that his phone was malfunctioning. In the subsequent email exchange, Giga disclosed his actual whereabouts, stating, “I have come here to fight for jihad against Assad and also against ISIS.” He emphasized his resolve to engage in military activities in the following weeks and advised his family not to disclose his location to the authorities.
In a response from his sister expressing shock and disappointment, Giga’s family eventually granted police access to the emails he had sent them. Despite his father’s attempts to persuade him to return, Giga remained resolute in his decision to stay in Syria, citing his commitment to the cause.
After a legal process, Giga was sentenced to nine years in prison with an additional one-year extended license. Although he denied the charges, he was found guilty of preparing terrorist acts, claiming his trip to Syria was for “private religious study.” As a result of his conviction, Giga will be subject to notification requirements for terrorist offenders for a period of 15 years.