Man went to Somalia ‘in attempt to join Isis’

A man allegedly used an Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to help him make contact with the Islamic State group in Somalia in a failed bid to become a martyr, a [UK] court has heard.

Mohamed Mohamoud, 22, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of preparing acts of terrorism between 1 October 2024 and 5 March 2025.

Naomi Parsons, prosecuting, told the jury on Tuesday Mohamoud, who is from Somalia, arrived in the UK in 2020 to join his mother and brother living in Bristol.

The court heard Mohamoud struggled to find a “guide” to joining the terrorist group after arriving in Somalia in 2025 so used an AI bot used to make contact, saying he wanted to “join the Mujahideen”.

Mohamoud, who was assisted in the dock by a Somali interpreter, denies the charge.

Read more: BBC