Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
A MAN WHO admitted sending funds to Islamic State was in contact with “medium to high level” operatives in the international terrorist group, and tried to travel to Syria to fight in the ongoing war, has been jailed for two and a half years.
In the first prosecution of its kind in this country, 26-year-old Hassan Bal from Waterford admitted to unlawfully transferring €400 for use by Isis and attempting to collect money for the group.
His activities were detected following a newspaper sting and an investigation by a number of police forces.
At Waterford Circuit Court today, Judge Eugene O’Kelly found that the accused had the confidence of “significant members” of Isis and had proven his credentials to them by attempting to travel to Syria to join them.
He sentenced Hassan Bal, formerly of O’Connell Street in Waterford, to four and a half years in prison, with two years suspended, for attempting to collect funds for Isis. The suspensions were on the condition that he remains “totally disassociated” with any group promoting “a radical view of Islam”.
The investigation started in 2015 when an investigative journalist with the Daily Mail in London, Omar Wahid, created an account on the Kik social media network and made contact with Omar Hussain, known in the UK as ‘the supermarket jihadi’, with the intention of giving Omar the impression there was money available for Isis, Superintendent Anthony Pettit told the court.
The journalist received a message to say Isis was “desperate for money” to assist with its expansion of activities in Syria. In the same message, Omar Hussain told the journalist to contact an Abu Issa Amriki, a jihadist based in Isis-controlled Syria.
The journalist did this via Kik and after a number of communications, Amriki eventually suggested he contact a “brother” who was in the UK.
A few days later, the journalist was given the name of an individual, Abu Abdul Rahman Britani, which was a name being used on Kik by Hassan Bal.
He made contact with Bal and a total of 435 messages were exchanged. Bal had a brother in London called Omar Bal, and an arrangement was made with the journalist by Hassan Bal whereby the journalist would make a drop-off of money in an envelope at a builder’s merchant in London, which would be collected by Hassan Bal’s brother. The latter had no knowledge of what was going on and simply thought he was doing his brother a favour.
Evidence
The journalist contacted the Metropolitan Police in London just after the drop-off was made. The envelope did not contain money, but instead had a street guide “to bulk it up”.
The investigations which followed were “necessarily trans-jurisdictional and complex,” Superintendent Pettit said, and led to Hassan Bal’s address in Waterford. Bal was arrested on 22 December 2015.
After the drop-off didn’t include any money, the journalist involved received various messages from a number of people, including Hassan Bal, “giving out” and saying that he had “taken him for a ride”. Some of the messages were “threatening in nature”.
Advertisement
One message found on Bal’s phone after his arrest said “I swear brother, get me some toys and I will go straight to the Daily Mail”. There was also a photo of him in combat dress with an imitation pistol.
Gardaí found a Western Union money transfer slip in his bedroom for the amount of €400 and dating from 2 October 2015.
While being interviewed by gardaí in December 2015, Hassan Bal accepted he had arranged the drop-off but said the money wasn’t intended for Isis.
His phone also had a document containing guidelines for travelling to Syria as well as propaganda videos showing executions and suicide bombs.
Charges
The accused was arrested again on 27 April 2017. More contents from his phone were put to him and he accepted that the money was meant to be used for fighting in Syria. Both Omar Hussain and Abu Issa Amriki were “prominent members of Isis.”
While being questioned by Giolliosa O Lideadha SC, defending, Superintendent Pettit said the two people Hassan Bal was in contact with were at a “medium to high level within [Isis]”.
Hassan Bal pleaded guilty in January at the circuit court to unlawfully transferring €400 by means of an An Post/Western Union transaction to a Stevo Maksimovic in the Bosnian city of Brako on 2 October 2015.
This was done with him intending or knowing that the money would be used in whole or in part for the benefit of Islamic State.
He also pleaded guilty to communicating by phone with an intermediary in London on 23 October 2015, in an attempt to collect or receive cash for Islamic State, from a person known to him as Omar Abu Azid, at an address at Geron Way, London.
Both charges are contrary to Section 13 of the Criminal Justice Act (Terrorist Offences) of 2005 and the maximum sentence is 20 years in prison.
Apology
In a letter written to the court, the accused said: “I don’t know how to put into words how deeply sorry I am for what I have done, and how remorseful”. After his arrest he said he “came to my senses,” he said. “My eyes started to open and I saw what I was doing was wrong and that my actions didn’t aid the Syrian people”. He appealed to the judge:
My life is in your hands.
He wanted to become a “positive” influence, against the use of violence, his lawyer said.
The court heard that Hassan Bal was a “valued member” of the Islamic community in Waterford.
“It is in the public interest that Hassan Bal is rehabilitated into society on his release,” Judge Eugene O’Kelly said. “He will face many challenges re-asserting himself into daily life, but the hope is that he will be able to participate fully in society.”
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
66 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
“Were people dying in the United States, in France, and in Germany and in England”.
Yet when people were dying in Northern Ireland, “Sir” Bob was happy to pal around and accept titles from Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative nutters.
you begrudging good-for-nothing. You’re not fit to walk in his shadow. What have you ever done for mankind except begrudge those who try to do something worthwhile?
Sir Bob is a dude! he’s been witness to a lot of tragedy including personal tragedy and he just keeps plugging away. With his money he could easily fade into the background and live a handy life but he chooses to campaign and raise money. Some man for one man!
Brian,
People call him ‘Sir Bob’ as a nickname because he got some kind of knighthood – KBE, I think – from the queen.
If you were pedantic though, you could technically say ‘he’s not actually Sir Bob’.
And if you knew what you were talking about you’d know he received an honoury knighthood… just like Tony o Reilly. … you also know that they are given to non UK or commonwealth people and that the title Sir does not go along with it…. I doubt very much Geldof refers to himself as sir just the wannabe idiots spouting on about it
@niall I imagine he’s the kind of guy who looks at the bigger picture not his immediate personal issues. And to be fair what can he do when his grown up married children do drugs in secret? The world as a whole is better off with Sir Bob doing what he does!
….its another case of bob the builder so…….Leave it to bob we don’t have to think for ourselves or consider inacting anything he proposes…he is saying that ending these constructed paradigms that a billion people face today is possible and within reach….Elaine…..is there something that you could manifest to carry his words or is the blade on his sholder just a division of power?
No I don’t suppose there is but at least you can sit back behind one of your latest anonymous profiles and feel really super intelligent after that comment. So I guess in a roundabout way I helped one person today…. No need to thank me ;)
I would have though with his life experiences and all his millions and all the good advice he dishes out he’d have made his family and home bomb proof before saving the world. If anyone could have saved that child from her self he could.
Bob should marry Sinead O Connor —- they both are so alike it’s uncanny, between the 2 of them they could save a lot of people. If they need any more help good old Bono could save the day. We are lucky in Ireland to have the 3 of them — they seem to know everything and know how everything should be done. Did they go to the same school or are they just typical Irish People ? They could be called the Holy Trinity or I can’t think of an appropriate neme just now.
Peaches was lucky she had sterile needles twitch or no twitch. Would the 100 experts or so who perished on the Malaysian flight consider their work as you can do this shit!!!!
Donald Trump threatens 200% tariffs on alcohol from EU countries
1 hr ago
19.2k
62
RIP
Tributes paid to 'adored' young Cork man who died after falling from student dorm building
25 mins ago
1.4k
As it happened
The Taoiseach invited Trump and Vance to visit as Washington celebrated Ireland
Updated
15 hrs ago
141k
211
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 156 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 106 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 137 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 106 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 79 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 78 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 38 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 34 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 127 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 60 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 75 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 82 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 39 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 45 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 27 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 89 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 96 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 71 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 52 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 86 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 66 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say