Two men from Arnhem who are accused of attempting to join Islamic militants in Syria should be jailed for two years, the public prosecution department said on Thursday.

Mohamed el A (27) and Hakim B (22) were picked up in Germany in July 2013. Their respective brothers Abdelkarim el A and Khalid B are already known to be fighting in Syria, news agency ANP reports.

Mohamed and Hakim had with them balaclavas, walkie talkies and solar chargers when they were arrested. They also had €15,000 in cash, ‘outdoor clothing’ and were driving expensive rental cars, ANP says.

Both men deny the charges. El A said he wanted to go to Syria to help people and live in an Islamic country. B said he wanted to visit his brother and go on holiday.

The public prosecution department bases the charges on Skype conversations, social media messages and videos as well as research into their search engine habits.

Their lawyers say that driving rental cars, having outdoor clothing and cash are ‘not the means for armed struggle’.

The court is due to give its verdict on February 9.