By . Tom Kelly . and Nick Fagge . Free: Shajul Islam, who was accused of kidnapping a British journalist in Syria, leaving Belmarsh prison last night. All charges were dropped today . An NHS doctor accused of kidnapping two journalists in Syria is expected to return to practising medicine in Britain after the case against him collapsed yesterday. Shajul Islam was alleged to have been a ‘key figure’ in the militant group that abducted British photographer John Cantlie and his Dutch colleague Jeroen Oerlemans. The pair were held at gunpoint, shackled and blindfolded, and told to prepare to ‘meet their maker’ after straying into a terror camp while covering the civil war in Syria last year. Islam and his alleged accomplice, fellow British resident Jubayer Chowdhury, walked free after prosecutors said the victims were unable to give evidence. The doctor’s brother, Najul Islam, who was accused of helping to bankroll the operation and supplying equipment, was also formally cleared. Islam, 27, from Stratford in East London, was given an interim suspension by the General Medical Council after being charged last year. But the suspension could be dropped after his acquittal and his friends say that if it is, they expect him to return to medicine as soon as possible. Islam had always denied involvement in the kidnapping and said he travelled to Syria on a humanitarian mission soon after completing his training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. Prosecutors had claimed at a previous hearing that he joined a camp of jihadists, including 15 British nationals, and became a ‘key figure’ because, as a doctor, he was ‘much respected’. The journalists were taken hostage in July last year because the jihadists believed they were spies when they entered the camp to try to interview rebel fighters, the earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told. Allegation: John Cantlie, a British photojournalist, who was held captive by Islamic extremists in Syria for nine days before the Free Syrian Army stormed the camp and freed him and Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans . Mr Cantlie and Mr Oerlemans feared . they would be executed and tried to escape, but were shot at and . injured, the hearing was told. They were released after nine days when the Free Syria Army stormed the camp near the border with Turkey. Denial: Henry Blaxland QC said Mr Islam played no part in any acts of terrorism or false imprisonment . Islam was arrested at Heathrow last October after he arrived on a flight from Egypt with his wife and one-year-old daughter. He and Chowdhury, 25, had both denied unlawful imprisonment under terror laws. Islam’s brother Najul, 32, had denied engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. The . three men had been expected to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court in . Surrey yesterday, but at the start of the hearing, prosecutor Mark . Dennis QC said: ‘The two victims in the case are the two prosecution . witnesses on which the case rested wholly on their evidence. ‘The prosecution are unable to call either victim for the purposes of the trial listed.’ Mr . Dennis added: ‘We notified the defence on Friday evening that the . prosecution will be offering no evidence when the case was listed.’ He then told the court: ‘I formally offer no evidence.’ He gave no reasons why the victims were unable to give evidence. Judge Nicholas Price QC said: ‘I understand, and I formally record verdicts of not guilty for each of the three defendants.’ Henry . Blaxland QC, for Islam, told the court his client ‘played no part in . any kidnappings and is relieved that this case has come to an end and he . has been cleared’. Last week MI5 head Andrew Parker told a parliamentary committee the threat of ‘terror tourism’ to Syria was growing. He . warned: ‘We’ve seen low hundreds of people from this country go to . Syria for periods and come back – some large numbers are still there – . and get involved in fighting. It is a very important strand of the . threat we face.’
Shajul Islam was due to stand trial alongside co-accused Jubair Chowdhury and his brother Najul Islam at Kingston Crown Court but walked free today .
The trio were accused of kidnapping and assisting the kidnap of two photojournalists John Cantlie and Dutchman Jeroen Oerlemans .
CPS dropped case as it emerged the alleged victims could not give evidence .
By . Tom Kelly . and Nick Fagge . Free: Shajul Islam, who was accused of kidnapping a British journalist in Syria, leaving Belmarsh prison last night. All charges were dropped today . An NHS doctor accused of kidnapping two journalists in Syria is expected to return to practising medicine in Britain after the case against him collapsed yesterday. Shajul Islam was alleged to have been a ‘key figure’ in the militant group that abducted British photographer John Cantlie and his Dutch colleague Jeroen Oerlemans. The pair were held at gunpoint, shackled and blindfolded, and told to prepare to ‘meet their maker’ after straying into a terror camp while covering the civil war in Syria last year. Islam and his alleged accomplice, fellow British resident Jubayer Chowdhury, walked free after prosecutors said the victims were unable to give evidence. The doctor’s brother, Najul Islam, who was accused of helping to bankroll the operation and supplying equipment, was also formally cleared. Islam, 27, from Stratford in East London, was given an interim suspension by the General Medical Council after being charged last year. But the suspension could be dropped after his acquittal and his friends say that if it is, they expect him to return to medicine as soon as possible. Islam had always denied involvement in the kidnapping and said he travelled to Syria on a humanitarian mission soon after completing his training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. Prosecutors had claimed at a previous hearing that he joined a camp of jihadists, including 15 British nationals, and became a ‘key figure’ because, as a doctor, he was ‘much respected’. The journalists were taken hostage in July last year because the jihadists believed they were spies when they entered the camp to try to interview rebel fighters, the earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told. Allegation: John Cantlie, a British photojournalist, who was held captive by Islamic extremists in Syria for nine days before the Free Syrian Army stormed the camp and freed him and Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemans . Mr Cantlie and Mr Oerlemans feared . they would be executed and tried to escape, but were shot at and . injured, the hearing was told. They were released after nine days when the Free Syria Army stormed the camp near the border with Turkey. Denial: Henry Blaxland QC said Mr Islam played no part in any acts of terrorism or false imprisonment . Islam was arrested at Heathrow last October after he arrived on a flight from Egypt with his wife and one-year-old daughter. He and Chowdhury, 25, had both denied unlawful imprisonment under terror laws. Islam’s brother Najul, 32, had denied engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. The . three men had been expected to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court in . Surrey yesterday, but at the start of the hearing, prosecutor Mark . Dennis QC said: ‘The two victims in the case are the two prosecution . witnesses on which the case rested wholly on their evidence. ‘The prosecution are unable to call either victim for the purposes of the trial listed.’ Mr . Dennis added: ‘We notified the defence on Friday evening that the . prosecution will be offering no evidence when the case was listed.’ He then told the court: ‘I formally offer no evidence.’ He gave no reasons why the victims were unable to give evidence. Judge Nicholas Price QC said: ‘I understand, and I formally record verdicts of not guilty for each of the three defendants.’ Henry . Blaxland QC, for Islam, told the court his client ‘played no part in . any kidnappings and is relieved that this case has come to an end and he . has been cleared’. Last week MI5 head Andrew Parker told a parliamentary committee the threat of ‘terror tourism’ to Syria was growing. He . warned: ‘We’ve seen low hundreds of people from this country go to . Syria for periods and come back – some large numbers are still there – . and get involved in fighting. It is a very important strand of the . threat we face.’
Islam, who was accused of kidnapping a British collapsed yesterday. Shajul Islam was alleged to and his Dutch colleague Jeroen Oerlemans. The resident Jubayer Chowdhury, walked free after evidence. The doctor’s brother, Najul Islam, who Allegation: John Cantlie, a British to stand trial at Kingston Crown Court in . two victims in the case are the two prosecution . victims were unable to give evidence. Judge