A 22-year-old man traveled to Somalia in an attempt to join the Islamic State (ISIS) after seeking advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot on how to make contact with members of the terror group, a court has heard. Mohamed Mohamoud is on trial at Winchester Crown Court, accused of preparing for acts of terrorism between October 1, 2024, and March 5, 2025.
Prosecutors stated that Mohamoud, who moved to the UK from Somalia in 2020, became radicalized while living in Bristol and developed a strong desire to join ISIS. The court was told that finding a connection to the group is not a straightforward process and involves AI bots working with humans to identify individuals who are ideologically aligned.
Mohamed Mohamoud, 22, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of preparing for acts of terrorism between October 1 2024 and March 5 2025.
According to the prosecution, Mohamoud sought guidance from an unnamed AI chatbot before his journey. He reportedly messaged a contact online stating, "I am a Somali boy living in England. I want to travel to Bosaso to join the Mujahideen. Do you know the process on how to migrate?"
Despite failing to secure a guide, Mohamoud booked a flight to Somalia and departed on January 30, 2025. He had also booked a return flight for March 3, but the court heard he had no intention of returning to the UK, aspiring instead to "martyrdom." His return ticket may have been intended to allay suspicion from his family, who had expressed concerns about his radicalization.
While in Somalia, Mohamoud stayed with his grandmother and continued to communicate with two contacts within ISIS. He reportedly expressed his desire for martyrdom, stating, "I'm longing for martyrdom honestly. There's no better time than now."
The prosecution highlighted that Mohamoud's extensive use of his phone for messages, photos, and interactions with AI bots provided significant information about his activities and attempts to join the terror group.
Islamic State in Somalia, also known as IS-Somalia, is a militant group that splintered from an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group in 2015. It seeks to overthrow the Somali government and establish an Islamic fundamentalist society.
However, Mohamoud was unable to join the group due to ongoing military operations by the Somali government against ISIS, which had closed off access to their bases. He was offered a role spying on local communities, but this was not the military position he had hoped for. He returned to the UK on his scheduled flight on March 3 and was arrested in January after his mobile phones were seized.
Mohamoud denies the charge against him, and the trial is ongoing.