The exact and shocking motives why so many Muslims from the West are leaving home to fight in Syria. Exclusively translated for our international audience
There are two main groups fighting together against Bashar; the secular democratic FSA and several Islamic groups, among them Jabhat An-Nusra, associated with Al Qaeda
Note: Text in (brackets) is part of the email exchange. Text in [brackets] is from the editor.
Q: How will you answer my questions? I understand you are the spokesman for the group. Are you going to give me a consensus? Please indicate where someone in the group has another opinion. The psychological experience must be different for each and everyone of you.
A: As far as political activities are concerned, the questions will be answered by two brothers. The war against the Russians in Afghanistan has learnt it is much more efficient if some concern themselves with the press. It saves time. The bigger battle groups have a PR department. As the other type of questions is concerned, we asked their opinion and made a selection. We have daily Shura (briefings) with the Dutch brothers; one speaks Arabic and is tells us the news from Syria, followed by analysis and commentary. In short, the boys know what is going on in Syria as well as the rest of the world. It doesn't interfere with our mission. Brothers who are at home recuperating have media duties (typing, information and communication). The questions about recruitment we have answered together with the brothers in the Netherlands.
Q: How many Dutch boys are over fighting in Syria? Are you residing in a luxury villa with a swimming pool, located in a posh part of Aleppo? Is it correct that the non Arab speakers are quartered together? Why is that? And is it correct that you are all fighting together?
A: I can't say with certainty how many boys are here. But the figures mentioned in the media are probably correct. Never in history have so many nationalities in such big numbers come together in Jihad. It is unique. The fighters are brothers from different nations, different languages, different visions, different codes of law, etc. All are fighting side by side for one nobel cause. It really is a great experience. As Allah says in the Quran, "Allah loves those who are fighting in His cause like one solid wall". May Allah make us these beloved people.
The Mujahideen are quartered in different places; the boys from the Netherlands are not among themselves. On the contrary. They are quartered with boys from Belgium, Germany, Canadians, Russians and Syria itself. We are a pluriform unit, as mandated by Islam. This is done to create a sense of unity, which is very important in Jihad. But it is also an ideal way for some brothers to learn Arabic. This is why some of us who are staying in the villa, but most don't like the luxury and prefer something more modest. We don't want to expose ourselves to luxury, become it ruins the heart and Jihad (in Syria) requires a healthy and strong heart.
We didn't come here for the luxury, we left that behind in Holland. And besides, history has learnt that strong armies haven't succomb to the enemy but through their own extravagant lifestyles. In our own Muslim Ummah we have seen it in Al Andalus [Spain].
The brothers are quartered in more places than Aleppo, they are spread over the entire country of Syria. A group will be sent to Qusair (near the border with Lebanon) shortly; some Dutch may be included in that group. Hezbollah has an active military role in Syria and supports the bloodthirsty regime of Bashar Assad in murder and destruction. There's heavy fighting gong on in Qusair against the murderous militias of Hezbollah and Iran, as you may have heard. It is also my personal dream to go and fight against Iran and Hezbollah in Qusair, because the blood of innocent Syrians is on their hands. Without their ongoing, active and and intensive support, the regime of Assad would long have fallen. That is the bitter reality that many don't see. The role of Iran in the genocide of the Syrian people is enormous.
The treacherous support of Russia and China - with the silent approval of the international community - is undisputable. It is a pity so many Muslims have been misled by Hezbollah's propaganda. Hassan Nasrallah has an arsenal of some 40,000 missiles, but he fires none on Israel when Gaza is bloody and brutally bombed, as we have seen in Operation Cast Lead in 2008 in which Israel has killed more than 1,400 Palestinians in cold blood in less than a month.
The same goes for Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed and wounded in one week's time. With how many rockets did Hassan Nasrallah support the Palestinians? Indeed, none. But now Hezbollah has scrambled to Syria in support of Bashar and his crimes gainst the Syrian people! Many Muslims, and even scholars, who were mislead by Hezbollah have now woken up; we see that a scholar like Yusuf Al-Qaradawi is now fiercely criticizing Hezbollah and is calling for Jihad against them, whereas in the past he saw them as heroes and was mislead by them. So we see that these bitter developments have opened the eyes of many Muslims.
Moreover, the fact that Bashar is seeking help from Hezbollah means that he is losing power. For instance in the battle of Khan Toman. That was one of the major battles of the Mujahideen in Syria and one of the major victories. Realistically you know in such a big battle some brothers will fall. [...] Also two brothers from the Netherlands died as martyrs; Mourad and Yasin. [...]
Q: The situation in Syria is difficult to gauge for the average Dutch. It's chaotic, there are different groups fighting against Assad. How do you decide before leaving, which group you want to join? Are the intelligence agencies correct in saying you joined Jabath al-Nusra? [the main Islamic opposition group, associated with Al Qaeda.]
A: Indeed there are different groups fighting together against the murderous regime of Bashar. There are two groups; the secular democratic and the Islamic. There are fighters belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA), but also several Islamic groups, among them Jabhat An-Nusra; it's the most professional and and successful group. Jabhat An-Nusra also merges with other Islamic groups and is working to expand in Syria. They also cooperate with fighters in other Arabic countries.
The Mujahideen of Jabhat An-Nusra also have the support of the Mujahid leader in Iraq, Abu bakr Al-Baghdadi. The Mujahideen in Iraq recently killed more than 40 of Bashar's soldiers on the frontier with Syria, cowards who thought they could find shelter with their Shiite allies in Iraq. But that sorely disappointed them. Just like Bashar is getting help from outside, the Mujahideen in Syria also have the right to assistance from outside.
It is the duty of of all Muslims to support the Mujahideen in Syria. The Arabic countries and the international community have forsaken us and they are watching a genocide taking place on the Syrian people, while Bashar is getting all the support. In Syria Muslims have learnt who is their supporters and who is stabbing them in the back in betrayal.
These so called extremists and terrorists are the ones who stood up for the Syrian people after the world has stabbed Syria in the back. That is why the so called terrorist groups are welcomed here by the people, after Allah they are the only ones Muslims can count on. Even the former Syrian opposition leader Mouaz Al-Khatib has supported Jabhat An-Nusra and has defended them after America put them on a list of terror groups. They are very popular among the Syrians.
After the Arab Spring have seen that Arabs voted en masse for Islamic parties, hoping Sharia would be implemented. Because Muslims have tried democracy, they have tried Socialism and communism, they have tried pan Arabism, etc. Nothing has improved the condition of Muslims, on the contrary, all these systems have only put them backward.
I am not exaggerating if I tell you that every day dozens of fighters leave the FSA for Jabhat An-Nusra. FSA started as the largest group, but as months went by the secular democratic group lost the support of the Syrian people; after the secular democratic world betrayed the Syrians mercilessly.
Nonetheless, all groups are fighting side by side, despite their differences of opinion. But the secular democratic solution is not popular in Syria, they have lost all confidence in this system. The Islamic groups have much more empathy with the people, fighting is but one part of their mission. They are perhaps more engaged in humanitarian assistance and are supporting the people in their needs.
Contrary to the fighters of the FSA, they give the spoils of war entirely to the people. The Islamic groups have no use for worldly goods, they have come primarily to stop the bloodletting by Bashar, to become martyrs and to implement Sharia. The latter we try to do incrementally, because it needs education and time, but the people in general are very enthusiastic about it. And the Islamic groups are organized enough to realize this with the help of Allah.
And even among the FSA there are Muslims who do not fight for the secular democratic ideology. Many do not support this ideology and have said many times they are fighting for Sharia. But the West is trying to hijack the FSA by buying their leaders, and many fighters understand this, that is why they are losing confidence in the FSA and defect to the independent Islamic groups.
That is why you have to distinguish between the secular democratic groups and the other Mujahideen in Syria that are spread over a variation of Islamic groups in the country, so there is more choice between the Islamic groups than there is in the FSA.
But all these different flags mean nothing at all, you have to see it like battle units belonging to one and the same Islamic army. We are not part of Jabhat An-Nusra or any other group that is labeled terrorist, but for security reasons I can't tell you which. As I said, in fact these units are one pluriform unity. We also do regular joint operations with the FSA, despite our differences. We give each other support with soldiers if they are short. I can understand why it looks chaotic to the average Dutch, Muslims must study the matter with dedication.
We are following the news closely. They are our fellow Muslims, so we are following it more closely than the average Dutch, who only see news flashes. This is why we shall answer your questions in depth and mention several important issues. It must be said that the Dutch media cover the conflict (read; the genocide) scantily, we are also dependant on English language and to a lesser extent Arabic news media.
The reason the west is critical of groups like Jabhat An-Nusra is solely because the west is losing their imperialistic hegemony in the region and Syria is replacing the present system with an Islamic system. It is surprisingly heartless and very sad to see that the west is more worried about the political influence of these fighter groups, than they are about the 100,000 innocent Syrian dead. That is the reason the people support the Islamic groups en masse and secular groups are losing popularity. [...]
The suspended tolerance of the international community and the Arab countries - unless they see economic or political advantage - is showing not just in Syria, but also in the brutal crimes against Muslims in Gaza and Burma. It is nothing new that the blood of Muslims has no value in their eyes. But that's not the only problem. Muslims can help themselves as we have shown in Syria. Muslims in Egypt have shown they could topple the dictatorial regime of tyrant Mubarak without outside intervention, as they did in Tunisia and Yemen.
So we don't need the help of the international community. We don't blame them for their passive tolerance. What is a problem though is the subterfuge with which the west is trying to safeguard its own interests in the region. Look at Israel that is bombing weapen depots for fear the arms might fall into the hands of the Mujahideen. The west is fooling the world with the excuse it can't militarily intervene because of the Russian and Chinese veto. But Israel is attacking targets in Syria at will. They say these weapons might fall into the hands of Hezbollah, but who are they kidding? When the Mujahideen gained ground and took possession of Bashar's weapons, Israel in a panic decided to attack these weapon depots. This will happen more often, mark my words. Israel knows
Hezbollah is no danger to them as long as they leave Lebanon alone; but if Hezbollah is threatened it feels obliged to respond in order to maintain its popularity and support. [...]
Israel has already indicated it will intervene militarily if the regime of Assad should fall so as to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of Hezbollah.This shows you how transparent and amateuristic this lie is, because if Assad falls, Hezbollah falls too. They are not afraid the weapons would fall into the hands of Hezbollah, but that the Mujahideen in Syria might get them. The Syrian regime are cowards, Bashar dared to attack innocent protesters, but he doesn't dare to stand up to Israel. Besides, he will not bite the hand that feeds him. The same goes for Iran and Hezbollah. They are prepared to join Assad in attacking the Syrian people, but Israel's missile attacks they ignore.
And then there are the western countries preventing our brothers from fighting in Syria. That the west is too treacherous and coward to help against Assad is one thing, but to block the path of Muslims living in the west willing to fight, is shameful. [...]
The west is also trying to divide the various groups. It is unique in the post war-on-terror history that secular groups are fighting side by side with Islamic groups. Which is annoying the west. Which is why the UK and America and training and arming so-called moderate, secular groups (in Jordan) to fight against Islamic groups in Syria in order to neutralize their political influence. This hasn't worked yet, may Allah prevent their conspiracy. The Syrian people are rising up against this.
We have seen how Mouaz Al-Khatib has stept down as opposition leader because he refused to cooperate with these external conspiracies. He hasn't fallen for them, unlike many other treacherous leaders in the Muslim Ummah. Al-Khatib has proved that the secular democratic way is unsuitable for Syria. Is the west plotting on behalf of the Syrian people? Surely not [...] it's the preservation of their imperialistic and capitalist hegemony in the region, democracy is their sockpuppet. This is what Muslims in Syria and other Arab countries now clearly see.
Q: How long is the training before you can join battle?
A: Basic training of a new brother takes six weeks. After which you can take part on the battlefield. The rest of the training is hands-on experience, and regular instructions and lessons. But only after six weeks of training you have right to martyrdom. We also trained strategically on an individual basis before we left for Syria. Many followed a strategic and tactical curriculum and we learnt of course about news facts and the history of the region.
It is not a decision taken lightly without preparations. We did theoretical as well as physical preparations. There are special training courses, given by experienced Mujahideen Mujahideen from all over the world are present here. Syria is now the epicenter of Jihad. The entire west and Israel were fighting the Mujahideen in order to keep them away from Israel as far as possible, but now they are now in their own back yard. [...]
Q: What is your reaction to Mouaz al-Khatib, the leader of the opposition who was frequently in the Netherlands and who advised Dutch boys not to go to Syria? Why should they ignore his advice?
A: Many have given this advice, among others Mouaz Al-Khatib and the media spokesman of the FSA, Fahad Al-Masri. The problem democratic opposition leaders have, is that they are not independent as they seek support from the west and the international community. Their position is abused by lobbying countries setting demands and conditions; they have their own political interests, not the interests of the Syrians. Mouaz Al-Khatib understood that which is why he stepped down. His attitude towards Jabhat An-Nusra was noble, he wasn't a man who was led by foreign interests and influence. So we can't determine if what he said was under pressure of certain countries. But fact is, it exists, from the west and from the Arab world. The same is true for the FSA. The Islamic groups, on the other hand are independent [...] they only need their Muslim brothers. They finance the war with the spoils of the Syrian regime; weapons royally given to Bashar by the west.
But these groups have said they need reinforcements from Muslims. The FSA wants weapons and money (from the west), they think materialistically, like all secular minds. But an experienced Mujahideen knows that a devoted fighter is worth more on the battle field than weapons and money. [...]
Of course Syria needs reinforcements. Bashar is getting support from Russia and China, and troops from Iran and Hezbollah. He is gaining ground. Russia has delivered missile shields. The Mujahideen have to fend for themselves. Have the Syrians not been stabbed in the back often enough by the Muslim Ummah? They should learn from their passivity and treason. Look how the Palestinians have been robbed of their land and have been living for almost a century in inhuman conditions. Do we want that also for the Syrians? [...]
The respectied scholar Muhammad Musa Al-Shareef has advised Muslims in Tunisia not to go to Syria because this is a crucial time in their history. And he ads, that he is not blaming Muslims who decide to go nevertheless, and even praises them. That is an honest, fair, balanced and independent view which we respect. What we don't respect is the conformist lip service of some Muslim representatives. Motivated by subsidies, praise and worldly goods. Or simply because of a weak character; and caving to pressure and compromise at the expense of conviction. [...]
Q: As far as I know three young women have departed for Syria. Are they together in the villa? Are you in contact with them? What are their duties?
A: They are the wives of Mujahideen here in Syria. They are living with their spouses in separate houses. And they do not fight. Many people think there are women fighting here. This is not true. Also they are not young girls, as the media often state. These are grown women that have taken on a large responsibility. Life does not stop here, life goes on in spite of the bombs and the fighting. The people are sad but are satisfied with the decision of Allah and they are trying to do their daily chores. War is a disaster like any other. Besides fighting, people work, get married and get children. That is good to see [...]
Q: What do you do in your spare time? [...]
A: Jihad is more than just fighting. There is also Ribaat (guarding the border). At times that is more difficult than battle because you are in close proximity with the enemy for days and you may be attacked day and night. You keep watch in turn, as a Muraabit you must take care the enemy does not infiltrate [...]. Sometimes you are sleeping in fighting gear. You have to be alert at all times. And when you're getting the order to attack you must be prepared within minutes to storm the enemy. But we are trained by scholars and brothers with certain knowledge. Contrary to politically diluted and conformist lessons, also in the Arab world, we get open and fair lessons in uncensored truth. [...]
We share our thoughts with Syrians and tell them how we are living in the Netherlands as an insulted minority, with which they empathize. This is the greatest blessing that we experience in Syria. Namely the fact that we do not live here as slaves of the capitalist system that exploits people as workers and consumers, but we live for a noble cause. And the fact we have been welcomed here as a beloved people, instead of being insulted and rejected as regretably happens so often to Muslims in the Netherlands and every other western country where Muslims are a minority.
Q: How do you see the attacks on the Boston Marathon and the London cleaver attack? Could such a thing happen in the Netherlands? Is that part of Jihad?
A: Anyone with a grain of sense knows the causes of these attacks. The direct cause is western foreign policy towards Muslim countries. I mean the wars the west is waging on Muslims, be it occupations or the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali and Gaza or the unmanned drone attacks in Yemen and the tribal areas of Pakistan, Somalia, etc. The media prefer to ignore these causes; it must be pointed out to the people how monstrous and detestable these attacks have been; without offering a solution.
All kinds of propaganda tricks are being applied. The parents of the victims are allowed press meetings to gain the sympathy of the people. But how many press meetings have the relatives of the countless of thousands of dead, killed by the monstrous shock and awe carpet bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan have had, and those of the drone attacks in Yemen and Pakistan? Where is the pity for them? The countless Muslim victims are just statistics. They picture the victims [of terrorist attacks] always in a intimate and personal way.
When are the war criminals Bush and Cheney going to be dragged to the ICC in The Hague? The world may not have noticed their countless innocent victims in Iraq and Afghanistan. Has the world missed the pictures from Abu Ghrayb? Have they not heard from the human degrading conditions in Guantanamo Bay? Prisons (read: torture bunkers) where innocent Muslims are kept years on end without indictment, trial or case, nor legal defense, and without the prospect of freedom.
Where are the Treaties of Geneva? Where is the universal Declaration of Human Rights? In short, the west should remove the log from its own eye before it is looking for a speck in the eye of others. But no one wishes to discuss that, we just have to condemn acts of terrorism and if possible, project these on to Muslims. Again, the direct cause is the west's foreign policy in Muslim countries. Even the bloodthirsty tyrants against whom Muslims are now rebelling are all sockpuppets of the west, including Bashar Al-Assad.
John Perkins in his revealing book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
, has accurately explained how these dictatorial sockpuppet regimes were manipulated by the west. Look how the Netherlands was delivering raw material for chemical warfare to Bashar, who has been murdering and destroying for over two years and only now questions are being asked in parliament. Since when do you trade with bloodthirsty dictators? But delivering weapons to Muslims that are resisting Bashar's genocide must be debated for years. While tens of thousands die.
, has accurately explained how these dictatorial sockpuppet regimes were manipulated by the west. Look how the Netherlands was delivering raw material for chemical warfare to Bashar, who has been murdering and destroying for over two years and only now questions are being asked in parliament. Since when do you trade with bloodthirsty dictators? But delivering weapons to Muslims that are resisting Bashar's genocide must be debated for years. While tens of thousands die.
The Boston attack, the liquidations by Mohammad Merrah, the liquidation in Woolwich, London, or any of the other attacks, they all have the same motive and the same breeding ground; the policies of the west. As far as we can speak of policies; because they are no more than brutal wars and tyrannical occupations. And the more the west is intensifying this colonializing capitalistic policy with impunity, the more people will feel the need to take the law into their own hands. Any political analyst can predict that.
So if the west wants to fight terrorism they could have done so long ago. They should listen to the former CIA agent Michael Scheuer, who honestly admits that the west is responsible for terrorism on its soil because of their foreign policies. [...]
People are no more than focus groups, segments and statistics and figures in this corporatocracy. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of democracy has already warned against the corrupting influence of the banking system. And we see that these powerful elitist lobby's have effectively hijacked democratic countries. While the media offer themselves as a propaganda mouthpiece that fabricate the consent of the public opinion with their crimes. The sleeping masses are waking up, look at the anti capitalist Occupy movement and other anti globalist movements.
The west has dug itself into a deep economic hole through these wars in Muslim countries. And the people must realise these wars are being waged in their names, because democratic governments are their representatives. Muslims will not forget the goodness of the people; we have not forgotten the millions of protesters all over the world when America invaded Iraq. Even Al Qaeda has thanked these people and it was one of the reasons they decided to minimize their attacks on the west. The average Muslim realizes that many citizens in the west did not support the crimes of their governments. But the ppl also need to rise against this capitalist parasitic entity; with democracy as its tentacles [Israel].
Just like Muslims are trying to get rid of the tyrants in their countries and pay for it with their lives as we see in the case of Syria. They should take their heroism as an example. The citizens in the west must wake up and realize that their governments are gambling away their security. In their eyes oil in Iraq is more valuable than the people, in their eyes the hegemony in Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Mali and Pakistan is more valuable than their safety. [...]
The media are saying that Muslims who are going to fight in Syria are a danger to the Netherlands when they return. But the contrary is true. If the west continues stopping Muslims to fight in Syria and other Muslims countries when they want to join the Mujahideen, it could cause some diligent Muslims with a conscience to launch attacks on western soil. So we advise the Dutch and other western governments not to put obstacles in their way [...] We don't call anyone to launch any attacks, but we do want Muslims to engage in Jihad in Syria if their conscience calls them to do that.
If Tamerlan and Dzokhar had gone to fight in Syria, the attacks on the Boston marathon would not have happened. If the perpetrators of the murder on Lee Rigby would have gone to Syria the British would not have had to live in misery and fear. [...] If we wanted, we could have launched attacks on the Netherlands, but we don't advocate that strategy. That's is why we went to Syria where we can fight injustice by Islamically legitimate means.
Q: [...] Our paper's source told us that fighters have to stay for a year before they can apply for leave and see their families. [...] Could there be circumstances in which fighters might leave the war? Could you leave if you wanted to?
A: [...] Never heard of that. If there's holiday money involved I'd like to hear about it. This is not a Kindergarden! Well organized groups have many years of experience in Jihad. It is underestimated how much the Mujahideen are investing in security. A mole from the intelligence agencies for instance is easy to spot. In the Netherlands we have discovered many with a few simple tricks. [...]
This is an advantage of Islamic groups that secular ones do not have. And they don't just fight for themselves. When the land is freed from Bashar they are going to help the brothers in Palestine. They are waiting for the next wave of bombs from Israel. It is inconceivable that their land has been occupied for almost a century, settlement after settlement being built, without Muslims stopping that. The Islamic groups realize that Israel may intervene militarily in Syria when Bashar falls, Israel have admitted that much; as if this wasn't enough. The FSA doesn't have this long term view; they have the illusion that the west will help them.
Q: How long are you planning to stay? Until the bitter end? Until the war is over? When your group calls it a day? Or when Assad has been beaten?
A: The war is just beginning when Assad has been beaten. Because the Mujahideen that have sacrifized their lives here will accept nothing less than Sharia, which we have no doubt they will realize. Muslims have made this mistake often, replacing an unjust tyrant with another unjust tyrant. (...) Karzai has plundered the country literally; Maliki (in Iraq) has oppressed and persecuted the people. (...)
We know the west will spend all its money and troops to fight Muslims and Mujahideen in Syria, who prefer Sharia over democracy. We have seen it in Afghanistan, Yemen, Waziristan, Somalia and in Mali. We have heard America is training and arming so called moderate secular militias against the Mujahideen. We have also heard that Israel is planning in a military intervention when Assad falls. But we are not afraid, because Allah will prevent their conspiracies against the Muslim Ummah.
We also know that the big Armageddon (WWIII) will happen in Syria and in this region. The Christians and Jews are also convinced of that. The zionistic are preparing for this too, so we Muslims cannot sleep. As a Muslim you want to participate in this huge event because there will be large rewards as you are fighting in the ranks of the Prophet Jesus (Isaa) against the Antichrist (Dajjaal).
We see the Arab Spring as a omen. It has never happened in history that four tyrannies fell in less than a year. This is a special victory for the Ummah and a unique chance to heal our countries. We should not pass up this opportunity. Just looking at Syria, what happened is legendary. Over 20 percent of the people have risen up in rebellion, that is more than in other Arab country, even more than in the revolutions in Russia and France. The uprising in Syria in relatively the largest in human history. [...]
The regime said that the rebels were mercenaries from abroad. [...] Even more ridiculous propaganda has been spouted by the regime which western media is repeating. They want to portray this as a sectarian war, which is partly true and partly untrue. The people of Syria have not rebelled because they don't like the ruling Alawite cult. No, they have rebelled because this minority group has been oppressing them for decades. Look at Bashar's father, who has killed thousands in the eighties. Muslims have taken up arms to defend themselves against this brutal genocide, not because of the Alawites. But on the other hand, it is a sectarian war because the loyalist Shia of Iran and Hezbollah, in cooperation with Bashar's minority cult, is fighting against the ppl.
(...) The Mujahideen are fighting for the rights and in defense of the Syrian people. The Alawites are ruling since the sixties over the Muslims in Syria and Haafidh Al-Assad was welcomed as a leader. Until the cult showed its bloody teeth. And one should ask how this minority cult of 13 percent of the population could rule over 87 percent [of sunni Muslims]. Muslims are waking up. They should not listen again to empty promises. People voted for Islamic parties that promised Sharia. Where are the promises?
Q: How do you psychologically deal with the horrors of the battlefield? The footage we see is horrific, as for example on the site of Bilad al Shaam. Do you have psychological treatment? Are you afraid of death?
A: It may sound strange but I have never heard of someone having such problems after killing the soldiers of Assad. On the contrary, the brothers who have had the honor of killing a soldier of Assad, finally felt tranquility in their hearts. We came here because of the trouble in our hearts, avenging the innocent is very satisfactory. You don't stand idly by. I think that Muslims in the west who must watch this while doing nothing, need psychological assistance. (...)
If you look at the attacks in the west you see the frustration that led them to it. The Jihad in Syria is very therapeutic. (...) A few brothers for instance interrogated two soldiers and one of them confessed to have raped seven women. How can you pity such an animal. I don't think you will ever hear of Mujahideen having psychological problems.
On the other hand we hear of many western troops with problems in that regard. The number of suicides in the American army is higher than those fallen on the battlefield. That is because they are fighting an unjust war, they oppress the innocent and this weighs on their conscience. Everyone has seen the insane crimes of the American troops; raping women and children (and even their own colleagues), urinating on bodies, torturing prisoners, abusing animals, etc, We have not forgotten mad sergeant Robert Bales who killed 16 Afghan citizens.
Mujahideen don't commit crimes like that. We don't like violence, fighting and death. Muslims are kind people, but we realize that in this world violence may be necessary. Allah has made it plain in the Koran that we must fight despite we don't like it; but it is still good for you. (...) We are not afraid of dying, on the contrary, we have come here to die for a noble cause. You have to die anyway, so why not die as a martyr. That is actually a bad translation of the Islamic concept of Shaheed. Because that means witness. Why? Because your deeds, soul and life bear witness the nobility of the cause you are willing to die for. [Note: the original secular as well as the Christian concept of martyr, also means witness.]
Q: What do you think of the warning issued by western intelligence services that on your return you might have become a danger to western society?
A: The Netherlands should worry about right wing extremist sentiments, as no one knows how many racist Breiviks and instable Tristans there are in the Dutch population that might strike at any moment. It's about time Dutch intelligence started worrying about the real threats. No need to worry about us. If we wanted to attack the west we would not have gone to Syria. The extreme right is hijacking the country, Hitler was not that long ago but history is soon forgotten; Breivik has indicated openly in his Manifesto that he shares Wilders' ideology and lauds it. But the country is so obsessed with Muslims, they have become blind to the real dangers. [...] Let's not even discuss these so-called Sharia triangles. Muslims are attacked on all fronts, which has become a trend in which even politicians participate. [...]
The democratic system is not for Muslims; parties and party leaders get into power by competition, and they are therefore apt to make empty promises. Leadership under Sharia is based on altruism. Recently an American marine killed six people in Texas. The Netherlands should worry about the military returning from Afghanistan. It is they that will return psychologically damaged. As I said, they do not fight for a noble cause. [...]
The west must realize that with its foreign policy they are also infuriating non practicing Muslims. Look at Dzokhar Tsarnaev, who wasn't a practicing Muslim according to his friends, yet he committed the attack on the Boston marathon with his brother. So you see, that the attacks on the west have nothing to do with extremism or fundamentalism.
We don't intend to return to the Netherlands; the liberation of Syria will take a while. And the true Mujahid will never leave Syria. There are many Prophetic legends about the favors of As-Shaam and the fighting in the region. The Prophet Jesus will also return; if a group dies as a martyr in Jihad another group will triumph, while it is possible that a group may lose. If we lose then all our sacrifices will have been in vain. That is why it is very important to be honest and pure in intentions in the Jihad. The brothers from Netherlands and Belgium do not want to go back. The Big Armageddon will take place here and we don't want to miss that.
The Netherlands must be consistent. If they really dislike the Muslim majority that much and see them as a threat, then open the border so we can join the brothers in Syria.
Q: Who is paying your travel expenses? Where did you get the money?
A: It's not that difficult to get to Syria. Costs are a few hundred euros. Life is cheap here. Most brothers have been able to bring some money. And we get a reasonable amount each month which gets you far in Syria, and when you join battle you get a share of the spoils.
Q: Some relatives of boys in the Netherlands told me they have been 'naive', that they only wanted to go to Syria for humanitarian reasons and have been tricked into joining the fighters.
A: That's another fairy tale. How can you be tricked into fighting? Men who do not want to fight are useless. [...] What we have seen on television over the years from Iraq and Afghanistan has planted the wish for Jihad in our hearts. The figures in the media about minors are wrong. Perhaps there are 2 or 3 here, no more. Most are between 23 and 26 years old. [...] It's an insult, we are wise and intelligent enough to make our own decisions.
Q: It is clear you do not fear death. What about about serious injuries?
A: There are special prayers to ask Allah for protection in Jihad. But there are rewards. A biography from the first pious generation tells us about Jaffar At-Tayyar (a nephew of the Prophet) who lost both arms in battle and was rewarded with two wings. Even the Prophet Himself (pbuh) was wounded in the face in battle. It's part of Jihad. We learn from the Prophet that words can be sharper than swords. The pain Muslims feel when the Prophet is insulted is worse than gun shot wounds. The pain we feel when a brother or sister is oppressed is worse. We believe in fate. Allah determines our fate. If Allah has said, this is your fate, you cannot protect yourself against it and if Allah protects you, no one can harm you. [...] We believe the time of our death is written, you can't change it. [...] Suicide is an illusion.
Q: After the training of six weeks, new arrivals are allowed into battle. Can you describe such an experience?
A: The first time is something you will never forget. Before that time, you only heard the stories about Jihad in Afghanistan against the Russsians in the books of Abdullah Azzam. You realize you may die. What will it be like when your spirit leaves the body. What will the afterlife be like? Will you be accepted as a martyr? You watch your friends, wondering if you will see them again. Adrenaline is rushing through your body. [...]
We usually attack at night, it has a strategic advantage because the enemy do not dare to do that. Also they don't dare fight from close proximity with their advanced weapons. They closer you get the less effective they are. A tank for example is useless if they enemy is close. We also see that America and the west is too coward for close range confrontation. They only dare attack innocent civilians from the air. The Mujahideen on the other hand march fearless against the enemy. This is the difference between us. The Mujahidee is fighting for a noble cause and are prepared to die for it [...]
The allmighty Allah is our Ally. [...] A Dutch brother got a bullet in his hair. Another in his amaamah (turban). May they be witnesses to us on the Day of Judgment. [...] The second battle is slightly less stressful and you are building experience quickly. Like soccer, it requires practice. Some brothers had the favor the kill soldiers. In the chaos of war you often can't tell whether you hit someone or not.
One brother had killed some soldiers with a heavy machine gun during a battle, but he didn't tell anyone. He didn't want to brag to keep his actions pure. In Islam it is forbidden to brag about good deeds. On the contrary, your good deeds count for nothing if you did not do them just for Allah. There is a legend that says that good deeds done in order to be praised by others, is a minor form of polytheism (which does not turn you into an infidel). There is also a legend that a Mujahideen who fought for honor alone, will be one of the first to go to hell. We ask Allah to protect us from that.
Just like it is wrong of bragging about donating to charity, or the other voluntary adorations, it also wrong in Jihad. Some remember to purify your intentions. The Mujahideen who are covering their faces do not do that just for security. It is to keep their actions pure for Allah. It's not so difficult these days, because the Mujahideen and Jihad are looked down upon by the public opinion. Often you aren't seen as a hero, but smeared and persecuted. This is Divine Wisdom, because Muslims will only fight for Allah and not for honor and prestige. (...) But the victims here in Syria do see us as heroes.
Q: Two Dutch fighters allegedly have died.
A: Yes, they died in the same batte. We took over a large army base. They say it was the most important battle in the war to date. We took 27 bunkers filled with arms and ammunition as spoils. And these were only the subterranean depots! Many brothers from Netherlands and Belgium had the honor to participate. We took over the base in two days.
Q: What was this curriculum you followed on the Internet before you left for Syria? Can anyone do that?
A: A Muslim must live healthy and prepare physically. Even in times when individual Jihad is not mandated for Muslims. Let alone when it is! As a Muslim you know you have many enemies who can strike at any moment, so it is mandated to prepare. You must be able to defend yourself and the weak ones.
Look at the powerless Rohingya Muslim minority in Burma, and how Buddhists are persecuting them relentlessly. This can happen in any Muslim community, also in the west. It happened to the Bosnians, we had been living along side the Serbians for centuries. It can happen at any time. Persecution starts with a few hostile words, as we have seen with the persecution of the Jews.
What we hear does not portend any good. Wilders is getting a podium in the political arena to make racist remarks. We advise Muslims to consider emigration. Yes, the courses are shared among us, but we are also actively looking for them.
Many don't know there are also preachers among the Dutch Mujahideen in Syria. They are not known because they are keeping a low profile, contrary to subsidy seekers. They can usually answer our questions.
Most brothers here have had physical training before they arrived here. There is an entire group of friends who did military training together. We did not do bootcamps in the Belgian Ardennes mountains: you mustn't make the lives of the security services too easy. And if they did, it was individually or in couples.
Q: The women do not fight, you said. They are living together with their husbands. Do the couples live together or in separate house holds? What do the women do all day?
A: Yes, the couples live together in appartements provided by the Syrians. The women are visiting their sisters, they cook, do the house keeping, etc. Like we live the Netherlands. The only difference is, here it counts for the Greater Jihad. Even eating and sleeping are rewarded, let alone the fighting. This is why we say the Jihad doesn't need us, we need the Jihad. It's a goldmine for Muslims.
Q: The wives do not fight, but their are women Jihadists, aren't there? Yesterday we got the news from the US about the 33 year old converted Muslim, Nicole Mansfield, who fought and died in the province of Idlib. I heard about another American woman. And yesterday I talked to a Syrian Kurd from Aleppo who told me Kurdish women are also training en masse for battle.
A: I am convinced that generally speaking, women are not fighting in Syria, but perhaps there are individual cases. Probably with the secular FSA, but photos of women are usually for propaganda purposes. This convert may have died, but that doesn't mean she was fighting. She may have been a medic. Women do have a role on the battlefield, but other duties than fighting. But they are rewarded equally.
With regard to the Kurds, that would probably be PKK. They have a long tradition of fighting women, also in the mountains of northern Iraq. But that is largely symbolic, in commemoration of the war in the nineties, in which many women also did individual attacks, mostly against the Turkish army. The PKK in general is supporting the Assad regime and betrayed the Mujahideen. We have seen them defecting to Bashar. They are traitors. They don't amount to much, no one takes them seriously. No one even stops for their check points. [...]
Q: Give me some details about life in general. What do you eat? What are your favorite dishes? What do you miss from home, except friends and family?
A: The Syrians are very proud of their cuisine which they think is the best in the world. It is good, but not the best. We tease them, saying the Moroccan is the best. [...] Despite the crisis the harvest has been good. News about famines are exaggerated. This is also what was said in the west about Somalia. It is part of the economic power game. We have seen for example how the IMF destroyed Yugoslavia economically. The Syrians have enough food and clothing. But some of course have nothing, like those in the refugee camps, but also that is exaggerated. What Syria needs are men who sacrifice their lives to end Bashar's genocide. We'd do murder for [a Dutch snack] (I hope the readers understand my heavy irony here). [...]