Fraud allegations are linked to extremists travelling to Syria

Five Islington men have been charged by counter-terrorism police investigating fraud allegations linked to extremists travelling to Syria.

Makzhumi Abukar, 23, Freegrove Road, Holloway, Yasser Abukar, 23, of Thorndike Road, Canonbury, Mohamed Dahir, 22, of Clifton Court, Finsbury Park and Sakaria Aden, 21, of Matthias Road, Newington Green, were snatched by police during dawn raids yesterday and face charges of conspiracy to defraud.

Another man, a 27-year-old from Islington will appear in custody at Dunstable Magistrates Court today on the same charges while the other four are set to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court alongside Ibrahim Anderson, 38, of Dallow Road, Luton.

A 32-year-old woman, who was arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of money laundering has been bailed.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command raided seven addresses in London and one in Luton yesterday.

Police said a 46-year-old woman was arrested at one of the addresses in north London on suspicion of an offence under section 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984.

She was arrested in connection with an unrelated investigation over a young girl believed to have travelled to Turkey and has been bailed. Two women aged 20 and 21 were previously arrested over the inquiry on suspicion of an offence under the same legislation. They have been bailed until June.

The Met said the girl’s current whereabouts are unknown.