One of the primary purposes of zakat, Islamic almsgiving, is for jihad, so Syed Hoque and his accomplices most likely thought that what they were doing was completely acceptable, and within the bounds of what constitutes “aid for Syria.”

“Men ‘used Syria aid convoys to transport items for terrorists,'” Guardian, November 14, 2016:

Four men used aid convoys bound for Syria to transport items that would be used to commit terrorism offences, a court heard.

Syed Hoque, 37, of Stoke-on-Trent, allegedly handed over £3,000 and a further sum of £1,500 on 21 December 2013, to help his nephew, who was fighting against the regime in the war-torn country.

He is also accused with three other men of making “other property” available between 1 December 2012 and 31 May 2014.

Mashoud Miah, 27, of east London, Mohammed Hussain, 30, of east London, Pervez Rafiq, 46, of Birkby, Huddersfield, and Hoque all deny the charge. Hoque also denies a further two counts of funding terrorism.

Prosecutor Annabel Darlow QC, said: “The defendants made use, or so it would appear, of aid convoys as a means of moving money and other property out of the UK to Syria.”

Adding that it was not the suggestion the convoys did not have a legitimate charitable purpose, she continued: “Normal routes are not much use when you look at Syria. So if you do want to get property or money out to Syria, the convoys would have provided a useful conduit. And you may think that an abuse of the spirit of the convoys to convey the money and property to terrorists.”…