1/ EXCLUSIVE: I had first TV interview with notorious ISIS member from UK, part of group dubbed "The Beatles".
Accused of beheading reporters, he was caught by Kurds.
I met him face to face. He got angry at me. Interview in English for @akhbar.
Part1:
Accused of beheading reporters, he was caught by Kurds.
I met him face to face. He got angry at me. Interview in English for @akhbar.
Part1:
2/ I just tweeted 1st part of my exclusive TV interview with El Shafee Elsheikh, ISIS member from UK. He's suspected member of notorious ISIS group "The Beatles".
Find below final part of interview for @akhbar. Nope, he didn't like my set of questions.
Find below final part of interview for @akhbar. Nope, he didn't like my set of questions.
3/ By now you all had time to watch my full interview with captured "ISIS-Beatle" El Shafee Elsheikh.
In a series of tweets I'll now highlight what I think is significant in what he said.
Also some observations from the interview which btw took place in Kobani, Syria.
@akhbar
In a series of tweets I'll now highlight what I think is significant in what he said.
Also some observations from the interview which btw took place in Kobani, Syria.
@akhbar
4/ "ISIS-Beatle" El Shafee Elsheikh tells me treatment by Kurds in jail is "fine, not bad. You eat, sleep, you wait to be interrogated."
He refused to tell me how/where he got captured. But Kurds told me: He was arrested near Deir Ezzor &planned to move to Idlib.
@akhbar
He refused to tell me how/where he got captured. But Kurds told me: He was arrested near Deir Ezzor &planned to move to Idlib.
@akhbar
5/ Notorious UK #ISIS-Beatle El Shafee Elsheikh also tells me he was interrogated by "American gov and SDF-officials (Kurds)." But claims "there was NO British involvement".
Says: "First department of Defence; they were Okay. Then the FBI - the least respectable of the bunch."
Says: "First department of Defence; they were Okay. Then the FBI - the least respectable of the bunch."
6/ UK ISIS-Beatle admitted to me he was ISIS member. Refused to talk about what he did.
Kept saying: "When they get along with legal process we can talk about accusations against me."
In other words: Get me out of Syria &I'll give in UK some (selective) info on my time in ISIS.
Kept saying: "When they get along with legal process we can talk about accusations against me."
In other words: Get me out of Syria &I'll give in UK some (selective) info on my time in ISIS.
10/ I am back online. Although there are big developments going on regarding Douma in Syria, allow me to continue my thread about the tough interview I had with ISIS member of "The Beatles" ElShafee ElSheikh.
@akhbar
@akhbar
11/ Notorious #ISIS-fighter El Shafee Elsheikh told me in interview he was in Raqqa when he read reports that UK media dubbed him and 3 other ISIS-men "The Beatles".
Said to me: "I think John Lennon wouldn't have liked it much."
From 1 min 55 sec:
Said to me: "I think John Lennon wouldn't have liked it much."
From 1 min 55 sec:
12/ As I sat next to ISIS-Beatle member, couple of things struck me:
a/ He never looked me in the eye. It was like I wasn't there.
b/ He's a very angry man. Hate for West. Told me he wants to live in Sudan.
c/ On the other hand, he prefers to be tried in UK.
d/ No remorse.
a/ He never looked me in the eye. It was like I wasn't there.
b/ He's a very angry man. Hate for West. Told me he wants to live in Sudan.
c/ On the other hand, he prefers to be tried in UK.
d/ No remorse.
13/ Also interesting: After UK #ISIS-member El Shafee Elsheikh became angry at me &cut the interview, we still talked off camera for about 15 minutes mainly in Arabic.
He told me that if time goes back to 2012, "I would do it all over again".
Really this guy has no remorse.
He told me that if time goes back to 2012, "I would do it all over again".
Really this guy has no remorse.
14/ As I've noticed before with ISIS members, most are self centered. Only feel self pity, no feelings for victims.
Same with ISIS Beatles member. Guy goes on about how he wants fair trial. I asked him if he thought his victims received fair trial? No answer of course.
@akhbar
Same with ISIS Beatles member. Guy goes on about how he wants fair trial. I asked him if he thought his victims received fair trial? No answer of course.
@akhbar
15/ I also wanted to know what happened to U.S. journalist James Foley, U.S. aid worker Kayla Mueller, UK reporter John Cantlie, Lebanese cameraman Samir Kassab, Mauritanian reporter Ishaq Mukhtar etc. All dead/disappeared.
But El Shafee ElSheikh shut me out, refused to answer.
But El Shafee ElSheikh shut me out, refused to answer.
16/ I also asked UK member of ISIS Beatles why he left UK, how he went to Syria.
Told me: "Every environment has corruption but nothing beats the West. I didn't contact no imam, i didnt contact anybody. I just knew some people who were already there. Arranged with them &I came".
Told me: "Every environment has corruption but nothing beats the West. I didn't contact no imam, i didnt contact anybody. I just knew some people who were already there. Arranged with them &I came".
17/ I have to stop tweeting now. It's getting late here. I am a bit exhausted &I have a long day ahead. Stay tuned for more insights tomorrow.
Thank you all for massively watching my tv interview with ISIS Beatle member & I appreciate all ur feedback.
Thank you all for massively watching my tv interview with ISIS Beatle member & I appreciate all ur feedback.
19/ Off camera I asked captured UK #ISIS "Beatles" Al Shafee ElSheikh about his family in UK. (His mother denounced him).
I asked if he wanted 2say something to his mother? He said: No.
Kurdish investigator offered ElSheikh possibility to write letter to mother. He refused.
I asked if he wanted 2say something to his mother? He said: No.
Kurdish investigator offered ElSheikh possibility to write letter to mother. He refused.
22/ This confirms that UK #ISIS "Beatles" Al Shafee ElSheikh who was captured in Syria has indeed lost his UK citizenship.
(Thank you @rajanbasra for link). 👇
(Thank you @rajanbasra for link). 👇
23/ With 100s of foreign ISIS-members in Kurdish jails in Syria, Kurds told me they r getting desperate.
Many Western countries refuse ISIS fighters back, but prisoners need jails, food etc. "ISIS came from Europe to kill us, now we have to feed our killers from our own pocket"
Many Western countries refuse ISIS fighters back, but prisoners need jails, food etc. "ISIS came from Europe to kill us, now we have to feed our killers from our own pocket"
24/ After the end of the interview which took place in an office in Kobani (N-Syria) Kurdish guards - who were present throughout interview - took member of ISIS-Beatles, ElShafee ElSheikh, back to his jail. I don't know where that jail is.
25/ Last tweet in this thread. I just want to thank @HaraldDoornbos who was with me in that room during the interview with ElShafee ElSheikh. Thanks for all the support you have given me to conduct this tough interview.
