We must be careful not to hurt the feelings of convicted terrorists 
Police reissue IS terrorist’s mugshot after she complains she was not wearing a niqab
Mother of four planned for her children to become martyrs for the terror group and ‘espoused radical views’ online
Farishta Jami in the reissued mugshot. Her barrister told the court that she had experienced ‘considerable distress’ because of an earlier photo showing her face Credit: West Midlands Police
A police force reissued a mugshot of a convicted Islamic State (IS) terrorist after she complained she was not wearing a niqab in it.
Farishta Jami, 36, was found guilty of terrorism offences on Thursday for planning to fly to Afghanistan to join IS.
West Midlands Police initially released an image showing her full face and hair – but then published a second that showed only her eyes beneath a navy blue niqab.
Matthew Brook KC, Jami’s barrister, told Leicester Crown Court on Friday that she had experienced “considerable distress” because of the photograph showing her full face.
The mother of four, who planned for her children to become martyrs for the terror group, was described in court as an “observant” Muslim.
Farishta Jami sat through the three-week trial in a hijab that showed her face Credit: West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit/PA
“Reports of the verdicts yesterday used an image of my client, released by the police, in which her head wasn’t covered,” Mr Brook said.
“This has caused her some considerable distress and the police are going to release a different image. We would request that is used instead.”
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, presiding, said she could not issue an order to make the use of the second image compulsory and left it to the press to decide which image to use.
Afghanistan-born Jami, a former dinner lady, was in court to be sentenced on two counts of preparing acts of terrorism between Sept 1 2022 and Jan 10 2024.
The trial was adjourned so the probation service could prepare a pre-sentence report.
‘Extremist propaganda’
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said: “In such a serious case as this it is vital that the sentence is justified on cogent material before the court.
“The online communications give every indication of a woman firmly committed to the cause and in possession of extremist propaganda, espousing radical views and intent on influencing others. However, I have no evidence of her current mindset.”
The force released the second image showing Jami in a niqab, even though she had sat through the three-week trial in a hijab that showed her face.
Michelle Heeley KC, prosecuting, told the court that Jami made plans to take her family to Afghanistan to fight for the Islamic State in Khorasan (ISK).
The court heard she had saved £1,200 to fund the flights and also shared extremist material on social media.
Jami moved to Britain in 2008 to live with her husband in the North West but moved to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 2023 after the marriage became violent, the court heard.
She will be sentenced at a later date.
West Midlands Police was approached for comment.
Police reissue Isis terrorist’s mugshot after she complains she was not wearing a niqab
