Image copyright Metropolitan Police

A married couple from London have admitted providing funding for their nephew who was fighting in Syria with militants from the Islamic State group.

Mohammed and Nazimabee Golamaully, from Mitcham, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to transferring £219, knowing it may be used for terrorist purposes.

Nephew Zafirr Golamaully travelled from his home on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius to join IS.

His uncle and aunt will be sentenced on 10 November.

They did not tell Zafirr's parents and their money transfer was only discovered during a police investigation into a worldwide network of terrorism funding.

Prosecutors said that, before leaving his home in Mauritius, Zafirr had spoken to his uncle on the messaging app Whatsapp, asking for help to deceive his parents.

Family secret

In March 2014 Zafirr said:"Told them I'm going to get 'nursing' training and that I won't be available for next two weeks."

Mohammed Golamaully, 48, replied: "The story of two weeks training sounds plausible prior to undertaking humanitarian aid."

Soon afterwards Zafirr was in Syria, fighting with IS, and attracting attention under the online alias Abu Hud, using social media to offer detailed instructions to others who wanted to travel to Syria.

Image copyright Twitter Image caption The nephew built up his social media profile with a series of tweets under the alias Abu Hud, including this one with the hashtag #GiftIdeas

He told his uncle: "They taught us military stances, formations and weapons."

The pair then discussed how to send money by Western Union transfer.

In another exchange Zafirr said that he might be going into battle