Birmingham man who 'pledged oath of allegiance' to Islamic State is jailed for terrorism offences

Kyle Marcano, aged 28, from Birmingham, was found guilty of terrorism offences following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in April.

During the trial, the court heard how Marcano had been in a chat group which shared terrorism materials, with Marcano also being found to have 'pledged an oath of allegiance' to the leader of Islamic State.

The 28-year-old was also found guilty of sending terrorist publications with intent, including an Islamic State recruitment video.

Marcano also pleaded guilty to four offences last November including sending terrorist publications.

Marcano was arrested in March 2023 for an unrelated offence, where his phone was seized and subsequently investigated, revealing his inclusion in the chat group which shared terrorism materials.

A second man, Muhammed Marood, aged 19, also from Birmingham, was also part of the same group, pleading guilty to four offences of distributing terrorist material. He was sentenced to four years and 10 months earlier this year.

Detective Chief Superintendent, Alison Hurst, who leads the CTP West Midlands CTU, said: "The jury found Marcano guilty of being a fully-fledged member of ISIS from the evidence that was presented during the trial.

"Marcano and Maroof knowingly shared videos and images containing very disturbing and dangerous content.

"We will continue to protect local communities by working with partners and the CPS to pursue and prosecute all those who show support for terrorism.

"We work tirelessly to counter-terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the West Midlands area."

Marcano was jailed on Tuesday for 11 years for the offences, also being given a four-year extended licence after having been assessed as a dangerous offender.