Parents of Britain's 'Jihadi Jack' charged with terror offences

British husband and wife John Letts and Sally Lane were reportedly charged with terrorism offences on Wednesday for sending money to their son, a suspected militant with the Islamic State (IS) group who fled to the Middle East last year, according to UK media reports.

Jack Letts, 20, has been widely labelled 'Jihadi Jack' by British media and is believed to be the first white Briton to travel to Syria to join the militant group in 2014.

His parents have always denied that Jack, who converted to Islam shortly before his departure, has been fighting alongside the militants.

But the middle-aged pair were arrested earlier this year for allegedly trying to send their son money and the South East Counter Terrorism Unit has now confirmed that it believes the couple had a reasonable expectation that their money could be used for a terrorist purpose.

Letts, thought to go by the name Abu Mohammed, was last believed to be living in the Iraqi city of Fallujah with his young Iraqi wife and infant son.

The western Iraqi city has seen fierce battles in recent days as anti-IS forces have battled to recapture the town where an estimated 50,000 civilians are thought to be trapped.

John is a well-known organic farmer, while his wife is a book editor. The family are from Oxfordshire in southern England.