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Jihadist caught on German shopping trip

The Local Germany
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Jihadist caught on German shopping trip
The man came from Syria for the shopping trip which included a visit to Aldi. Photo: DPA

An alleged jihadist will go on trial in Stuttgart next week after being caught on a shopping trip to pick up goods for Islamic fighters in Syria.

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The 24-year-old German, Ismail Issa, will be tried on November 5th for supporting a terrorist group, after being caught when he returned to shop in his homeland last year, The New York Times reported. 

He was back in his home city of Stuttgart, where he was radicalized by Salafists in 2012, to pick up items from shops including discount supermarket Aldi, for his group of Islamic fighters in Syria who have since joined the Islamic State (Isis).

His jihad comrades wanted their wounded fighter to bring back four sports watches from Aldi (€28 each), 10 pairs of combat trousers from an online US Army shop (€189.90 each) and night-vision gear from a Stuttgart hunting shop (€4,018).

Issa, who was born in Lebanon but grew up in Baden-Württemberg, was also told to bring back sweets, medicine and books.

Police discovered the goods in bags when they stopped Issa and another man, following a tip-off, driving back to Syria on November 13th last year, soon after they left Stuttgart.

Details of the case were first reported by Focus Magazine in September.

Around 500 Germans are thought to have travelled to the Middle East to join jihadist fighters and 130 have returned.

SEE ALSO: Germany's jihadists - young, male, losers

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