Islamist Expert Appears In Terrorism Trial Of Derry Man

Eamon Bradley, 28, of the Benview Estate in Coshquin is charged with receiving terrorist training and possessing explosives in Syria between March 31 and October 29, 2014, in what is the first case of its kind in Northern Ireland.

- Marianne Flood

THE TRIAL of a Derry man charged with terrorist offences in Syria yesterday heard testimony from an expert in Islamist ideology.

Dr Matthew Wilkinson, who has a PHD in the Philosophy of Islam from Kings College London, appeared as a defence witness before Derry Crown Court in the fifth day of the hearing yesterday.

Last week transcripts of Bradley’s police interview were read to the jury in which he claimed he flew to Turkey in the Spring of 2014 and entered Syria where he became a member of the group ‘Jaysh al-Islam’ to help overthrow the regime of president Bashar al-Assad.

In interview the defendant said he was ‘drawn’ to Syria because of videos he watched on Facebook ‘with the bombs’ and ‘killing of babies’ and that ‘no one was helping them’.

He stated he went to a ‘Jaysh al-Islam’ training camp in Syria for two months and attended ‘three battles’ armed with an ‘AK47, three magazines and a grenade’.

However, the court was told he said he never fired any bullets or threw the grenade.

In interview Bradley said he was not afraid during his time in Syria because ‘I had bigger concerns for the people rather than myself’ and had put his trust in Allah.