A TEENAGER from Blackburn who wanted to fight for Islamic State has been convicted of attempting to fly to Syria to wage a holy war.

Nineteen-year-old Ednane Mahmood, who downloaded a video of aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines being beheaded before setting out, was told he faces an inevitable jail sentence by a judge at Manchester Crown Court.

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Mahmood was found guilty of attempting to travel to Syria to commit acts of terrorism and two offences of doing acts designed to encourage the commission, preparation of terrorist acts by providing internet links to speeches and propaganda videos.

He left his home in Plane Street in the early hours of September 18 last year, so he could board a flight to Bulgaria, after leaving a letter to his family, outlining his intentions to join Isis.

Days before his departure he had downloaded a video which began with David Cameron talking about Islamic State before images showing the beheading of Mr Haines, jurors were told.

Mahmood followed this up by researching cheap flights to Bulgaria and Turkey, which would bring him close to the Syrian border, the court heard.

He departed, with a return ticket to Sofia in Bulgaria, carrying little money and few possessions.

Later his family reported him to police as a missing person.

Referring to the letter he left behind, prosecutor Julian Evans said: “He was telling his family in the clearest terms that he was leaving the comforts of his life in the UK in order to fight abroad on behalf of Allah and on behalf of Muslims.

“He did not care what others might think of him and his decision and he was well aware that he was putting himself in harm’s way and that he might die as a consequence.”

But the University of Central Lancashire student, despite developing an interest in jihad first in 2012, never reached Syria. He made contact with his brother via Twitter from an internet cafe six days after leaving and was persuaded home.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Ian McMeekin, Mahmood claimed he had attempted to volunteer for an aid convoy, as he was concerned about the plight of people in war-torn Syria. He also told police he thought the Isis videos he viewed were ‘disgusting and barbaric’.

Jurors took six hours and 55 minutes to convict him on all three charges.

Remanding him in custody until December 11 for sentence, Judge Michael Henshall said: “You have been convicted on each count on this indictment and the nature of the offence is such that I am satisfied that the only appropriate sentence is one of custody.”

But Judge Henshall told the court pre-sentence reports should be prepared on Mahmood, who was studying Arabic at UCLan before his arrest and has no previous criminal record, to assist with the overall length of the jail term. Arrested on his return to the UK and interviewed by anti-terrorism police, Mahmood said he had been upset by the conflict and ‘wanted to help’.