A suspected Isis fighter insists that he has the right to return home to the UK. Ibrahim Ageed, 29, says he now regrets his actions after joining the terrorist group aged 21.
The former medical student from Leicester is incarcerated at Al-Sina prison in Al Hasakah, Syria, which holds thousands of suspected fighters. Leicestershire Live reports that the jail was subjected to an attack by the militant group in January last year.
Ageed and his brother, Mohamed, were reportedly among a group of students who had been studying in Sudan and were reported to have travelled to Turkey in a bid to join the terrorist group in 2015. Speaking to The News Movement, Ageed says he wished to be repatriated home and believed he would be "subjected to the UK justice system".
Ageed said: "But I'm ready to face the music and I believe it's my right basically, to go back home."
The UK Government is currently among several globally which have refused to allow those suspected to have joined Isis to return, despite calls from the United Nations to do so. The Guardian reported back in 2017 that Ageed's father has always argued that there is no evidence that his sons have ever volunteered to fight.
He claims that due to this lack of proof that they therefore should not be considered terrorists. The father told the Observer at the time the family believe his sons attempted to travel to Syria "purely for humanitarian reasons".
Ageed said: "I think [Isis] has been significantly weakened, whether they have the ability to resurge or not I'm not sure. I've been completely isolated for like nearly four years now, I haven't seen the news outside, I haven't seen what's happening."
Speaking of those on the inside, he added: "I think these people they are - they have basically lost hope so, I think this is what basically pushed them to do what they're doing basically. Whether you can completely rid the world of this - of these groups - it's a very difficult task.
"I'm not sure, to be honest."
LeicestershireLive have contacted the UK Foreign Office for a comment on the situation.
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