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British 'pharmacist who joined IS' is detained in Syria | British 'pharmacist who joined IS' is detained in Syria |
(about 11 hours later) | |
A British man who says he is a pharmacist from Birmingham has been detained in Syria on suspicion of being a member of the Islamic State group. | A British man who says he is a pharmacist from Birmingham has been detained in Syria on suspicion of being a member of the Islamic State group. |
Kurdish forces captured Anwar Miah in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour a month ago. | Kurdish forces captured Anwar Miah in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour a month ago. |
A video of his capture has surfaced on Twitter and shows Mr Miah saying he has lived in Syria for nearly four years. | A video of his capture has surfaced on Twitter and shows Mr Miah saying he has lived in Syria for nearly four years. |
It is believed he is being held in a prison in northern Syria, guarded by US special forces. | It is believed he is being held in a prison in northern Syria, guarded by US special forces. |
Western intelligence agencies are questioning him, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville said. | |
In the video, Mr Miah, who is blindfolded in the back of a pick-up truck, says he has been working as a medic in IS territory for the last four years. | |
Asked if he was with Daesh - another name for IS, he replies: "I'm a doctor. I'm a qualified pharmacist from the UK. I studied medicine and pharmacy. | |
"I came here to work with the general people and to help people. I've been working in the hospitals since I came," he says. | |
Pressed about whether he was working for IS, he adds: "I work in the general hospitals. They were controlled by Daesh, I can't do anything about that. But all my work was with the public." | |
At least three other British men who are accused of being members of IS are currently in Kurdish and US custody in Syria. | At least three other British men who are accused of being members of IS are currently in Kurdish and US custody in Syria. |
They include two Londoners, Shafi El-Sheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who are alleged to be members of the notorious group dubbed the The Beatles. The pair were captured in January. | They include two Londoners, Shafi El-Sheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who are alleged to be members of the notorious group dubbed the The Beatles. The pair were captured in January. |
US officials believe the cell they belonged to beheaded more than 27 Western hostages and tortured many more. | US officials believe the cell they belonged to beheaded more than 27 Western hostages and tortured many more. |