An IT consultant who left the UK in the hopes of dying for Jihad in Syria was jailed today for nine years with an extended license period of one year. Isa Giga, now 32, was 22 years old when he told his family he was going to Birmingham in 2015. Instead, he quit his job and flew business class to the war-torn country via Turkey. Gisa worked for a technology company ANS and later emailed his family he hoped to become a martyr with the Jaysh al Fath terrorist group. 

In his email, he said: “I have come here to fight for jihad.”

At the time, he was living with his parents and sister in Hounslow and handed in his notice just after five months at ANS, in August 2015. One week after finishing work, on September 7, 2015, Giga flew from Heathrow to Asana, Turkey, via Istanbul. He paid £808 for a return ticket but he did not come back.

One day after leaving the UK, Giga emailed his sister claiming that his phone dropped and was not working. She replied: “Parents aren’t happy and nor am I.” Asking her brother how they are supposed to contact him, the family allegedly tried to call three hotels in Birmingham. 

In a shocking email back, he said: “On Sunday night I did not go to bham I went to ibis in hayes and I took a flight to turkey on late Monday. I crossed the border into Syria on tuesday evening. I have come here to fight for jihad. I’m based in idlib province and I fight for jaysh al fath which is the rebel coalition which includes the free Syrian army up to al qaeda linked groups.

“I have come here to fight against assad and also to fight against isis. I cant sit at home when fellow muslims are in need and their religion is in danger.” 

He said that he didn’t need his parents permission to fight for jihad and that he needed to emigrate from Britain he “cannot bear” to live with non Muslims.  

His emails also said: “I have planned this for about a year now. No I was not brainwashed by am internet personality. I came to jihad after reading the quran and books by classical scholars I am in good hands here. Atm I live with some westerners and some arabs.

“I start military work in 3 weeks. Tell mum to go to India. I recommend not telling the police where I have gone. Doesn’t effect me as i am not returning but its for your own good so you don’t get stopped at airports.”

Giga’s family gave police access to emails he sent them.

Her sister replied: “Can not believe you have done this Isa. We loved you so much gave you total trust and you have just gone and thrown it our faces. My son especially will never forget you how do I explain to him ?? Parents ?? What on earth is going to happen to them ? This is wrong so wrong.” 

His dad said: “My Dearest Isa, We all hope and pray you are well.

“I will make this message short, but request as a father who always loved you from the bottom of my heart.

“I have tried in every little detail to hold your hand and guide you forward to adulthood.

“Please don’t do anything that will break my or your mothers or families heart, stay within the bounds of true Islam and humanity, stay away from extremism and follow the Sunnah.

“If ever you need your families help you contact us without wasting a minute (any time day or night).

“I am returning the money I borrowed from you last week minus a few deductions so that you can feed and clothe yourself and maybe if you don’t like the place use some of it to return to your family.

“Keep in touch and take special care of yourself.” He sent £4,500 to his son’s Lloyds bank account, the court heard.

Giga emailed his sister on 17 October 2015 saying: “I wanted to send you another email a while back but I don’t have much internet access anymore because of the russian planes and drones all around us.

“I wanted to send an email without seeing you initial reply because i can’t bare to see words from you guys which show that you are upset, i did see the first reply, but at the moment i don’t have the strength to see whatever other emails have been sent.

“Honestly i love you all so much and even when writing this i can’t hold back the tears, if it wasn’t a religious obligation for me to have gone of course i would never have left, more than anything what i want is to spend eternity with you guys.”

He also wrote: “I finished my military training and today i am going to move from my current location, i have been given the opportunity to fight on the front line in the near future, which is not given to many westerners. I hope more than anything to gain martyrdom while fighting against isis or against the assad regime but i fear death as much as anyone else.”

His dad travelled to Rehanley, Turkey, to try and contact his son and sent a letter to him begging for him to return. “I can’t bear to see your mum cry everyday and be depressed and her life destroyed,” he said.

Giga replied: “I have not come here with the intention of returning back. I will not walk away from Syria, how can I walk away when there is death all around me, I feel like paradise is very close here, just two days ago one of my friends from the UK was martyred while in a battle.”

The 32-year-old denied his charges but was convicted of preparation of terrorist acts, after claiming he had gone to Syria to carry out “private religious study”. He will be subject to notification requirements for terrorist offenders for 15 years.