Friday, 4 July 2014 - 14:19
NL jihadists don't want Dutch nationality
The spokesperson for the Dutch Syria fighters currently in the war-ravaged Aleppo, Abu Mohammed, has published a statement warning that the Dutch government should not hold back its nationals, but allow them to exchange their Dutch nationality for an unobstructed exit to Syria, De Telegraaf reports.
"Boys are not allowed to leave from the Dutch government, and are being sent back. But they want to voluntarily step away from their dutch nationality if, in exchange for that, they may leave, unchecked, to for example Syria. The Dutch government is keeping then in The Netherlands, and these boys are subsequently complained about", Mohammed says in the statement.
According to Mohammed, there are a large number of Dutch and British radical muslims in Syria not to fight for ISIS or Nusra, but to act as 'freelancers', taking part in various groups. "We are currently independent."
Despite growing fears from the Dutch Secret Service AIVD and the national counter-terrorism coordinator (NCTV) that there is a high possibility of an impending jihadist attack in The Netherlands, Mohammed says this is not true. "If we had wanted that, then we wouldn't have gone to Syria. Then we would have done that earlier."
The spokesperson says that their interests lie elsewhere. They went to Syria to help muslims there, and to realize the Islamic state. He says that the Dutch media and authorities are using the wrong definitions to frame him and his brethren. "If the government, the media, the AIVD talks about ISIS or the fighters here, then we are always called in one breath with human rights violations, mass-executions, you name it. But which definition are you using? One racket from a drone or F16, that kills ten soldiers, that's 'mass execution' as well isn't it? But because it's a 'democratic' rocket, you don't heat anyone talk about it anymore."
Mohammed criticizes the way that people with his common cause, that of fighting for Allah's word, are being wrongly stereotyped and demonized. "For some I am a terrorist. For others a freedom fighter. If you ask that question who am I to an American or an average Dutch person or a VVD party supporter, then they say: 'He has a beard, wears his trouser legs above his ankle, shouts Allahu Akbar when he fires, so he's a terrorist'. I hope that I get a long life, fruitful and in obedience of my creator and that I can be of a lot of use for the Islamic community. And of course that I end my life with martyrdom. A bullet through my head, ideal ending for me."