Father desperate in search for Jihadist son

The father of the alleged suicide bomber Sultan Berzel says that his son's departure to join the jihad was completely unexpected. Abdessamad Berzel has been living in crushing uncertainty for the last two weeks, wondering if the suicide bomber was really his son.

The 19 year old Sultan, alias Abu Abdullah al-Hollandi, allegedly committed an attack in Baghdad on November 12th. Even though it is not 100 percent certain that this was his son - the family has received no official confirmation from the Dutch authorities yet - the father told his desperate story to the Limburg broadcaster L1. "I would never, never have let him go", said the father. "If I had known, I would have spoken with him, called in the police, the child protection, hit him. I would have done everything to keep him here."

Abdessamad tells L1 about his Sultan. He tells how the 19 year old tourism student was expelled from school and completely collapsed on Islam. Abdessamad only found a goodbye note under his sleeping mat. And now a report of a suicide bomber has been associated with his boy.

For Abdessamad his son was a "diamond", passionate and involved. There are so many others like him, he warns. Abdessamad hopes that by telling his son's story, he can prevent the same happening to other children.

Abdessamad told his story on Wednesday on AvondGaste on broadcaster L1.