London: Sportspersons get into drugs, get involved with women but Anthony Small – a former British boxing champion – went a step ahead. He had reportedly planned to travel to Syria for a battle with Islamic State.
The 33-year-old won the British and Commonwealth light middleweight championships in 2009 before he was accused of spreading terrorism online.
He allegedly published an article online called ‘Attacks By Muslims In Perspective’ and the address was titled as ‘Why the Islamic State is rejected’.
Small also published a recording of a speech called ‘Another James Foley beheading’.
He has also been charged for supporting a banned organisation and a charge of conspiracy to attain a false identity with offensive intentions.
His arrest came after Michael Coe and Simon Keeler – two 34-year-old individuals – were nabbed with false documents at Dover on November 2014.
Three of them were charged for engaging in terrorist acts.
During the trial, the prosecutor said that the men wanted to travel to Syria to join and support the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, known as ISIL or ISIS.
Though Small had not received the forged documents but it was being arranged by the same group who helped Coe and Keeler.
Small and Coe were previously caught in the same frame during a demonstration on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Coe converted to Islam in 2007 and has been a part of such demonstrations for a long time including the protests over the banning of niqabs in France and Sharia law values.
Even Keeler went on record to speak in favour of a universal Muslim state bounded by Sharia law.
Small was arrested on December 4. A hand-held sword and a photograph of British Isles covered by an Isis flag was found from his residence.
