This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/25/mother-jihadi-jack-letts-syria-humanitarian-work
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Jihadi Jack is a label invented by media, say worried parents | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The mother of a young man reported to be the first white Briton to join Islamic State has said it is ridiculous to suggest her son is a terrorist. | The mother of a young man reported to be the first white Briton to join Islamic State has said it is ridiculous to suggest her son is a terrorist. |
| Sally Letts said her son Jack, 20, from Oxford, was not a member of the terrorist organisation and had gone to Syria to do humanitarian work. | Sally Letts said her son Jack, 20, from Oxford, was not a member of the terrorist organisation and had gone to Syria to do humanitarian work. |
| In an interview with the Guardian, she confirmed that he had been in Raqqa, the headquarters of the self-styled Islamic State, but said newspaper reports that he had married, had had a son and was going by the name Ibrahim or Abu Mohammed were all false. | In an interview with the Guardian, she confirmed that he had been in Raqqa, the headquarters of the self-styled Islamic State, but said newspaper reports that he had married, had had a son and was going by the name Ibrahim or Abu Mohammed were all false. |
| His father, John, an organic farmer, said newspapers made up the nickname Jihadi Jack because it suited their agenda. “It’s so ridiculous,” he said. “It was made up. Everything is alleged,” he added. | |
| “People hear what they want to hear. They can’t resist the alliteration of Jihadi John and Jihadi Jack,” he added, in reference to the Isis terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, who was killed in a drone attack last November. | “People hear what they want to hear. They can’t resist the alliteration of Jihadi John and Jihadi Jack,” he added, in reference to the Isis terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, who was killed in a drone attack last November. |
| Over the weekend it was reported that Letts was one of 750 Britons who have joined Isis, with the Mail Online reporting he is “a frontline fighter for the brutal terror group and lives with his Iraqi wife and his son Muhammed after moving to the Iraqi city of Fallujah from Raqqa”. | Over the weekend it was reported that Letts was one of 750 Britons who have joined Isis, with the Mail Online reporting he is “a frontline fighter for the brutal terror group and lives with his Iraqi wife and his son Muhammed after moving to the Iraqi city of Fallujah from Raqqa”. |
| “We spoke to him yesterday and he said he had never had a weapon in his life,” said Sally. | “We spoke to him yesterday and he said he had never had a weapon in his life,” said Sally. |
| “Jack never had a weapon, never posed in a photo with a weapon, but every article mentions it,” said his father. “I bought him those cargo trousers from a sports shop in Oxford,” he added in reference to the photo featured in the press over the past two days. “It’s all insinuation, [people] forcing connections that don’t exist.” | “Jack never had a weapon, never posed in a photo with a weapon, but every article mentions it,” said his father. “I bought him those cargo trousers from a sports shop in Oxford,” he added in reference to the photo featured in the press over the past two days. “It’s all insinuation, [people] forcing connections that don’t exist.” |
| His mother said the family were worried sick about his welfare because he was in a war-torn country. “He is in danger every single moment of the day,” she said. | His mother said the family were worried sick about his welfare because he was in a war-torn country. “He is in danger every single moment of the day,” she said. |
| “There is no evidence he’s been near a battle zone,” her husband said. | “There is no evidence he’s been near a battle zone,” her husband said. |
| They said Letts, a former student of Cherwell School, Oxford, was attracted to Syria because he wanted to help innocent people and save lives. | They said Letts, a former student of Cherwell School, Oxford, was attracted to Syria because he wanted to help innocent people and save lives. |
| “For a year and a half he saw outrageous horrors of everyday life. He had a strong humanitarian conviction.” | “For a year and a half he saw outrageous horrors of everyday life. He had a strong humanitarian conviction.” |
| Asked if they thought their son was foolish given the fate of the British taxi driver, Alan Henning, who was beheaded after going to Syria with aid, his father said his son was different because he “is integrated in day-to-day life with Syrian people”. | Asked if they thought their son was foolish given the fate of the British taxi driver, Alan Henning, who was beheaded after going to Syria with aid, his father said his son was different because he “is integrated in day-to-day life with Syrian people”. |
| They said they are in touch with their son once a month but do not know his precise whereabouts. | They said they are in touch with their son once a month but do not know his precise whereabouts. |
| “We know he spent time in Raqqa, but we are not entirely sure where he is now. He said he had worked in a hospital. He is not a fighter,” said his mother. “People who are living in [Isis] territory doesn’t necessarily mean they are [Isis] fighters” | “We know he spent time in Raqqa, but we are not entirely sure where he is now. He said he had worked in a hospital. He is not a fighter,” said his mother. “People who are living in [Isis] territory doesn’t necessarily mean they are [Isis] fighters” |
| They said their son was so determined to help, so they discussed his options before he left. | They said their son was so determined to help, so they discussed his options before he left. |
| “When he became Muslim I said if you’re going to help people, you’ll be a liability except if you speak the language – you’ll just be another mouth to feed – then you can help on refugee camps. | “When he became Muslim I said if you’re going to help people, you’ll be a liability except if you speak the language – you’ll just be another mouth to feed – then you can help on refugee camps. |
| “He dropped out of school and taught himself Arabic on his own because he wanted to be useful; said he wanted to help medical staff but had no medical skills,” Sally Letts said. | “He dropped out of school and taught himself Arabic on his own because he wanted to be useful; said he wanted to help medical staff but had no medical skills,” Sally Letts said. |
| John Letts said his son told him that his duty was to be the best Muslim he could be. “He wanted to do the right thing as a Muslim and said if he can prevent the death of another person it was saving the whole of humanity.” | John Letts said his son told him that his duty was to be the best Muslim he could be. “He wanted to do the right thing as a Muslim and said if he can prevent the death of another person it was saving the whole of humanity.” |
| They confirmed that the family home had been raided by police twice and laptops and mobile phones confiscated, but said the police had “no evidence he had done anything wrong”. | They confirmed that the family home had been raided by police twice and laptops and mobile phones confiscated, but said the police had “no evidence he had done anything wrong”. |
| John Letts said: “It’s like he’s walking on a train track with a blindfold, with a train [coming down the tracks]. Blindfolded in the sense he can’t see the danger ahead of him but determined to help people.” | John Letts said: “It’s like he’s walking on a train track with a blindfold, with a train [coming down the tracks]. Blindfolded in the sense he can’t see the danger ahead of him but determined to help people.” |
| When he left Britain in 2014, he told his parents he was going to Kuwait to study Arabic but later told them he had gone to Syria. “We were in utter shock. We have been trying to convince him to come back,” his mother said. | When he left Britain in 2014, he told his parents he was going to Kuwait to study Arabic but later told them he had gone to Syria. “We were in utter shock. We have been trying to convince him to come back,” his mother said. |
| His father said they are terrified of what might happen now. “The allegations become fact and the facts become embellished and then the embellishments become completely exaggerated and out of context, to the extent he has now become a girl in some articles.” | His father said they are terrified of what might happen now. “The allegations become fact and the facts become embellished and then the embellishments become completely exaggerated and out of context, to the extent he has now become a girl in some articles.” |
| “If the ramifications were not so serious, it could be a comedy.” | “If the ramifications were not so serious, it could be a comedy.” |