Robert Fisk: Syria's road from jihad to prison

For the first time, a Western journalist (Robert Fisk) has been granted access to interview Free Syrian Army prisoners in Syria's most feared military prisons, confirming the presence of foreign jihadists in the ranks of the Free Syrian Army.

• One interviewed prisoner was an Algeria immigrant to France who had served in the French army.
• Another Turkish prisoner spoke of his training at a Taliban camp on the Afghan-Pakistan border.
• A Syrian prisoner described helping, under al-Qa'ida direction, two suicide bombers (a Palestinian and Jordanian) set off a bloody explosion targeted at civilians in central Damascus

The Independent

The French-Algerian had served in the French army after emigrating to France. Apparently encouraged by al-Jazeera's coverage of Muslim suffering in Syria, he left a wife and child in Marseille in search of jihad. Crossing the Syrian border with a shotgun he, with other men, attacked military checkpoints. After capture by suspicious villagers, he explained why he hadn't chosen Palestine for jihad:- "A Palestinian friend told me his people needed money more than men".

A Turkish prisoner described crossing into Syria after months of training, he said, in a Taliban camp on the Afghan-Pakistan border. He left a pregnant wife and three-year old daughter behind. He stated that he had been asked to set up a "smuggling" trail from Turkey to the Syrian capital which would also involve moving men across the border.

A Syrian prisoner described having been indoctrinated by hard line Salafi preachers who encouraged him to carry out jihad. Later, he described how he and three Iraqis, under al-Qa'ida supervision, had helped a Palestinian and a Jordanian suicide bomber to set off a car bomb in crowded street in the Bazzaz district. Subsequently he expressed regrets at the deaths of ordinary people he had caused.

Overall, the captured jihadist prisoners that Robert Fisk spoke to included an ex French army Algerian immigrant, a Syrian indoctrinated by Salafi preachers and a Turk who further confirmed the presence of Salafi and al-Qa'ida elements in Syria and further confirmed the presence of Iraqi Jihadists and Jordanian and Palestinians suicide bombers. Furthermore, Taliban training camps exist alongside the Afghan-Pakistan border.


The fact that al-Qa'ida and the Taliban are involved in aiding the Free Syrian Army is perhaps no surprise to anyone.

What is more puzzling is the motive of the USA, UK and France in supporting the Free Syrian Army and their Taliban/al-Qa'ida allies in trying to overthrow the Syrian government.

reply to post by ollncasino


I think TPTB want to use the mercs to overthrow Syria, then Iran, then Russia.

I don't think this will work.

These "freedom fighters" could also be inserted into Pakistan and supported by letter agency people for complex bombing and drone strikes. Pakistan is so huge though, population wise, such tactics might not work.

Even Alexander the Great had difficulty when heading farther east. Too many people there.

I find the whole thing very weird. I remember trying to convince my Dad that the Rebel's weren't some democracy loving freedom fighters, that the BBC was trying to portray them as. Amazing how powerful, the BBC's reporting can be in forming opinion.

It was only until I started listening to a few of George Galloways podcasts, that I really began to question things a little more. I'm certainly no expert on the region, but from what i have seen on ATS, few people really seem to know what is going on.

reply to post by ollncasino


S & F

This is a pretty interesting read. Well worth the time. For me I found it fascinating how they got involved and what they went through to end up in that prison. If true, it's very revealing how the darker side functions. Or, possibly just a setup/ploy my the Syrians to show the world who all they want to portray as helping the rebels. Either way, good find. Personally I think it's a legit story and account.

I suppose to answer your query.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

Nasty bedfellows some are keeping these days