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Middlesbrough man believed to be Isis Khartoum connection Middlesbrough man believed to be Isis Khartoum connection
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A young man from Teesside is emerging as one of the most notorious of the hundreds of Britons to have so far joined Islamic State . Mohammed Fakhri, 23, from Middlesbrough, is believed to have recruited at least 17 young British-Sudanese medical students from Khartoum’s University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST) to Isis and more are said to be ready to follow. A young man from Teesside is emerging as one of the most notorious of the hundreds of Britons to have so far joined Islamic State . Mohammed Fakhri, 23, from Middlesbrough, is believed to have recruited at least 17 young British-Sudanese medical students from the University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST) in Khartoum, Sudan to Isis and more are said to be ready to follow.
Relatives of a group of nine British doctors – the first batch Fakhri indoctrinated – who arrived in Syria in March, confirm that the Turkish security services have repeatedly told them they are hunting Fakhri. He is currently thought to be hiding in Turkey with another group of medical students from Khartoum, including five Britons. Relatives of a group of nine British doctors – the first batch of Fakhri’s recruits– who arrived in Syria in March, confirm that Turkish security services have repeatedly told them they are pursuing Fakhri. He is currently thought to be hiding in Turkey with another group of medical students from Khartoum, including five Britons.
An image of Fakhri, taken by UMST when he first joined the university as a fresh-faced and clean shaven 16-year-old, has been disseminated to Turkey’s intelligence agencies, Turkish Syrian border officials and British security services. An image of Fakhri, taken by UMST when he first joined the university as a fresh-faced and clean shaven 16-year-old, has been disseminated to Turkey’s intelligence agencies, Turkish officials at the Syrian border and British security services.
Related: Student from group of British-Sudanese Isis recruits killed in SyriaRelated: Student from group of British-Sudanese Isis recruits killed in Syria
Yet his profile has, until recently, been remarkably low, with his family refusing to speculate why he became such an influential figure in Isis, while his social media accounts have been dormant since August 2014. Yet his profile has, until recently, been remarkably low, with his family refusing to speculate why he became such an influential figure in Isis and his social media accounts inactive since August 2014.
On Monday, however, a Facebook posting from one of the British-Sudanese medics, Mohammed Osama Badri, linked to a lengthy article on religion authored by Fakhri. On Monday, however, a Facebook posting from one of the British-Sudanese medics, Mohammed Osama Badri, linked to a lengthy article on religion apparently authored by Fakhri.
Throughout the post, Fakhri attempts to dismiss the barbaric behaviour of Isis as a result of western propaganda. “And so I think for the sake of respecting mankind’s intelligence, I will not dwell into refuting childish claims that: ‘We chop off fingers of the smoker’ or ‘kill little children’.”Throughout the post, Fakhri attempts to dismiss the barbaric behaviour of Isis as a result of western propaganda. “And so I think for the sake of respecting mankind’s intelligence, I will not dwell into refuting childish claims that: ‘We chop off fingers of the smoker’ or ‘kill little children’.”
Fakhri adds: “The battle between the Islamic state and the crusader coalition of Kuffr headed by the US, is not an issue of execution techniques or the acts of certain individuals. Rather this is a battle of Aqeedah (Creed) in which one group calls for the Divine system of the Sharia to be implemented.”Fakhri adds: “The battle between the Islamic state and the crusader coalition of Kuffr headed by the US, is not an issue of execution techniques or the acts of certain individuals. Rather this is a battle of Aqeedah (Creed) in which one group calls for the Divine system of the Sharia to be implemented.”
Fakhri, whose father runs an inner-city mosque in Middlesbrough, recruited the students by becoming president of a religious teaching group, the Islamic Cultural Association (ICA), at the Sudanese university. Witnesses describe how they often saw Fakhri talking to female members of the ICA, with one theory suggesting that he deliberately targeted female medics. “Women are very active in many projects in building the Islamic State,” he writes. Fakhri, whose father runs an inner-city mosque in Middlesbrough, recruited the students after becoming president of a religious teaching group, the Islamic Cultural Association (ICA), at the Sudanese university. Witnesses describe how they often saw Fakhri talking to female members of the ICA, with one theory suggesting that he deliberately targeted female medics. “Women are very active in many projects in building the Islamic State,” he writes.
At least five British female medical students who attended the ICA are currently in Syria, including 19-year-old Lena Maumoon Abdulqadir, from the small rural Norfolk village of Ashwicken.At least five British female medical students who attended the ICA are currently in Syria, including 19-year-old Lena Maumoon Abdulqadir, from the small rural Norfolk village of Ashwicken.