KUALA LUMPUR (The Star/Asia News Network) - A soldier was sentenced to seven months' jail on Tuesday (Oct 20) for possessing a mobiel phone containing an image related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group.

High Court judge Siti Mariah Ahmad meted out the sentence against Corporal Mohd Azidi Said, 28, after he admitted to the charge on Tuesday.

Justice Siti Mariah instructed for the jail sentence to run from Aug 19, the day the soldier was detained.

Corp Mohd Azidi, who is attached to the Army College at Segenting Camp in Port Dickson, was charged with possessing a mobile phone containing an image of the ISIS flag.

He was charged under Section 130JB of the Penal Code and was first produced at the Port Dickson magistrate's court on Sept 15.

Earlier in mitigation, Corp Mohd Azidi, who was unrepresented, said that he was the only son in the family, the sole breadwinner and that he sent RM450 (S$146) a month to his aged parents who suffer from hypertension.

He said he has repented and was influenced by the militant group's ideology, and added that he had worked with the army for more than eight years.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin noted several other army personnel have been charged with committing offences related to ISIS and urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the soldier.

In passing the sentence, Justice Siti Mariah said the court viewed Corp Mohd Azidi's offence as serious while also considered mitigating factors, including his guilty plea and it being his first offence.

"Therefore, a proper sentence is seven months' imprisonment and the sentence is to run from the day you were arrested," she said.