Kurdish authorities say they are questioning captured American ISIS member
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish security authorities announced on Wednesday that an American member of the Islamic State (ISIS), who they captured this week, is being held in Erbil and questioned on his activities with the group.
“He is in the Kurdistan Region being questioned by relevant security authorities and is provided the care afforded to him under international and local law,” said the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) in a statement.
The KRSC identified the ISIS member as 26-year-old Mohamad Jamal Khweis from the US state of Virginia.
“He was apprehended by Peshmerga forces near Sinjar for attempting to enter the Kurdistan Region from the Islamic State (IS) stronghold of Mosul in Iraq,” said KRSC.
Khweis walked into Peshmerga-controlled territory on Monday, mistaking it for the Turkish border.
The Kurdish security council said Khweis had reached Syria and Iraq through Turkey after passing through a number of European countries.
“Mr. Khweis travelled through Turkey to Syria in December 2015 accompanied by a young Iraqi woman,” said the KRSC statement, a copy of which was obtained by Rudaw.
“He arrived in Iraq in late January and later fled, he claims, to return home. His journey from the United States included stopovers in a number of European countries.”
“We are in dialogue with our U.S. counterparts and authorities about the individual and case,” the statement said.
“He is in the Kurdistan Region being questioned by relevant security authorities and is provided the care afforded to him under international and local law,” said the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) in a statement.
The KRSC identified the ISIS member as 26-year-old Mohamad Jamal Khweis from the US state of Virginia.
“He was apprehended by Peshmerga forces near Sinjar for attempting to enter the Kurdistan Region from the Islamic State (IS) stronghold of Mosul in Iraq,” said KRSC.
Khweis walked into Peshmerga-controlled territory on Monday, mistaking it for the Turkish border.
The Kurdish security council said Khweis had reached Syria and Iraq through Turkey after passing through a number of European countries.
“Mr. Khweis travelled through Turkey to Syria in December 2015 accompanied by a young Iraqi woman,” said the KRSC statement, a copy of which was obtained by Rudaw.
“He arrived in Iraq in late January and later fled, he claims, to return home. His journey from the United States included stopovers in a number of European countries.”
“We are in dialogue with our U.S. counterparts and authorities about the individual and case,” the statement said.