British Jihaddis in Syria... where are all the Americans!?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**mattyrm**

An extremely alarming account by John Cantlie.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19136630

Reports that Britons were among Islamist militants who kidnapped and wounded two photographers in Syria are being taken "very seriously" by ministers, the Foreign Office has said.

The claims were made by photographers John Cantlie and Jeroen Oerlemans, who were held at a camp for a week in July.

The Foreign Office said it was closely "monitoring the situation".

The Free Syrian Army group, which is part of the opposition trying to oust Bashar al-Assad, helped them to escape.

Mr Cantlie, who is British, and his Dutch colleague, Mr Oerlemans, were both wounded in a "shooting gallery" as their thwarted captors fired after the fleeing men.

The kidnapping took place amid the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Heavy fighting is continuing in the country's second city, Aleppo, amid concerns that the army will launch a full-scale assault within days.

Activists say more than 20,000 people - mostly civilians - have died in 17 months of unrest.

Jihadists - those committed to establishing an Islamic state by violent means - have started to be seen on the battlefield in Syria.

The FSA is said to be scrutinising jihadists in Syria very closely.

They are considered to be "a real threat after the Assad regime falls", a senior FSA officer told the BBC.

Mr Cantlie told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme he and his colleague were regularly threatened with death.

"When you're held captive, you're blindfolded and you have a guy sticking a gun at your head, it's very real," he said.

"It was inferred that we would meet our God. We had sowed the seeds of our own destruction. We would be shot or beheaded.

"At one point they even started sharpening knives for a beheading. It was pretty frightening."

Basically he said there were 10-15 British guys there, with British accents talking about beheading and such.

But it made me think, considering Islam is very unifying and its adherents seem to have far more loyalty to each other and the faith than they do to their respective nations of birth, have there been any accounts of Americans fighting in foreign wars?

I recall reading about British Muslims in Afghanistan several years ago, but I cant recount any American ones, are there any famous incidents other than the guy killing all the soldiers on his base last year?

**Kanluwen**

There was John Walker Lindh, and that's about all I can think of...

**Bromsy**

I haven't heard of too many, just the occasional lone wackos.

**Hordini**

There's also Adam Yahiye Gadahn, AKA Azzam the American.

**CT GAMER**

mattyrm wrote: An extremely alarming account by John Cantlie.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19136630

Reports that Britons were among Islamist militants who kidnapped and wounded two photographers in Syria are being taken "very seriously" by ministers, the Foreign Office has said.

The claims were made by photographers John Cantlie and Jeroen Oerlemans, who were held at a camp for a week in July.

The Foreign Office said it was closely "monitoring the situation".

The Free Syrian Army group, which is part of the opposition trying to oust Bashar al-Assad, helped them to escape.

Mr Cantlie, who is British, and his Dutch colleague, Mr Oerlemans, were both wounded in a "shooting gallery" as their thwarted captors fired after the fleeing men.

The kidnapping took place amid the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Heavy fighting is continuing in the country's second city, Aleppo, amid concerns that the army will launch a full-scale assault within days.

Activists say more than 20,000 people - mostly civilians - have died in 17 months of unrest.

Jihadists - those committed to establishing an Islamic state by violent means - have started to be seen on the battlefield in Syria.

The FSA is said to be scrutinising jihadists in Syria very closely.

They are considered to be "a real threat after the Assad regime falls", a senior FSA officer told the BBC.

Mr Cantlie told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme he and his colleague were regularly threatened with death.

"When you're held captive, you're blindfolded and you have a guy sticking a gun at your head, it's very real," he said.

"It was inferred that we would meet our God. We had sowed the seeds of our own destruction. We would be shot or beheaded.

"At one point they even started sharpening knives for a beheading. It was pretty frightening."

Basically he said there were 10-15 British guys there, with British accents talking about beheading and such.

But it made me think, considering Islam is very unifying and its adherents seem to have far more loyalty to each other and the faith than they do to their respective nations of birth, have there been any accounts of Americans fighting in foreign wars?

I recall reading about British Muslims in Afghanistan several years ago, but I cant recount any American ones, are there any famous incidents other than the guy killing all the soldiers on his base last year?

murdering psychopaths who stop at nothing to further there own ideology?

We have had a few...

**AustonT**

It is not an isolated phenomenon. Only the ones that fight against our own forces and are discovered are particularly well known.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1597976938/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?camp=213733&creative=393177&linkCode=shr&redirect=true&ref_=pd_rhf_p_t_1&tag=nabobsnet-20

**notprop**

Most is citizens don't seem to own a passport. Most immigrants have to fight tooth and nail to get in the US and want to stay there.

In Britain we hand out passports like confetti just to generate £90 a time. So what if Abdul and his cousins want to go back and see their mates; what could possibly go wrong. Amirite?

Plus the US can just drone strike any fether goes off piste, a far more efficient system that that run by HM Border Control/G4S.

**Jihadin**

All the insurgents pretty much don't have ID either

**Henners91**

They're not British. If they refuse to assimilate to our ways and go indulging in alien ideologies then there's little in common between them and a Briton.

**notprop**

In that case can we off load the jocks and rent ithe space to more amiable tenants.

**Albatross**

Is the correct answer "this country's going to the dogs"?

**Palindrome**

notprop wrote:In that case can we off load the jocks and rent ithe space to more amiable tenants.

Just you try it.

**Melissia**

CT GAMER wrote:

THE SPIDERS, OH GOD THE SPIDERS

**Jihadin**

Wonder if that same build a beard kit they used in Jackass the Movie

**Orlanth**

mattyrm wrote:

Basically he said there were 10-15 British guys there, with British accents talking about beheading and such.

But it made me think, considering Islam is very unifying and its adherents seem to have far more loyalty to each other and the faith than they do to their respective nations of birth, have there been any accounts of Americans fighting in foreign wars?

I recall reading about British Muslims in Afghanistan several years ago, but I cant recount any American ones, are there any famous incidents other than the guy killing all the soldiers on his base last year?

There is a reason for this. Blair had an open door immigration policy in order to attempt to swing the demographics allowing people in no sane administration would allow in. When the crazies came in they started recruiting, and as this was all about 'minorities' etc that was left alone for a very long time. Islamic fundamentalism was the elephant in the room, almost completely ignored until 7/7. By the time the government realised they had generated a large recruiting base for fundamentalism and started to take a look at the immigration policy it was too late.

The second half of the last decade immigration was selectively encouraged from elsewhere, mostly India and Africa, plus Eastern Europe.

**Palindrome**

Orlanth wrote:

There is a reason for this. Blair had an open door immigration policy in order to attempt to swing the demographics allowing people in no sane administration would allow in. When the crazies came in they started recruiting, and as this was all about 'minorities' etc that was left alone for a very long time. Islamic fundamentalism was the elephant in the room, almost completely ignored until 7/7. By the time the government realised they had generated a large recruiting base for fundamentalism and started to take a look at the immigration policy it was too late.

Citation needed. The Daily Mail doesn't count.

**Testify**

Most American Muslims are descendants of slaves and as such have very different opinions to Arabic Jihaddism.

**Hordini**

Testify wrote:Most American Muslims are descendants of slaves and as such have very different opinions to Arabic Jihaddism.

Actually, most American Muslims are either South Asian or Arab, with African-American Muslims making up only the third largest group.

**Orlanth**

Palindrome wrote:
Orlanth wrote:

There is a reason for this. Blair had an open door immigration policy in order to attempt to swing the demographics allowing people in no sane administration would allow in. When the crazies came in they started recruiting, and as this was all about 'minorities' etc that was left alone for a very long time. Islamic fundamentalism was the elephant in the room, almost completely ignored until 7/7. By the time the government realised they had generated a large recruiting base for fundamentalism and started to take a look at the immigration policy it was too late.

Citation needed. The Daily Mail doesn't count.

Dont be lazy, look for yourself.

As for Islamic fanaticism being a problem, its more than just the Daily Mail seeing that one. Are you going to try the one where anyone who points out the holes in our multi cultural society is 'racist'?

**Jihadin**

I will mention we did captured a insurgent that seriously had a brit accent near Spin Buldok

**Amaya**

Hordini wrote:
Testify wrote:Most American Muslims are descendants of slaves and as such have very different opinions to Arabic Jihaddism.

Actually, most American Muslims are either South Asian or Arab, with African-American Muslims making up only the third largest group.

And the Nation of Islam and 5 Percenters have about as much in common with traditional Islam as the Church of LDS has with Catholicism.

**Ahtman**

Jihadin wrote:I will mention we did captured a insurgent that seriously had a brit accent near Spin Buldok

Have you ever captured any that jokingly had a Brit accent?

**Jihadin**

The guy, before we zipcuffed him, asked if he can smoke "a cigarette" in a educated brit accent.

We let him have two since it was so cool and out of place

**Hordini**

Jihadin wrote:I will mention we did captured a insurgent that seriously had a brit accent near Spin Buldok

I've heard that German-speaking insurgents have gotten picked up in Afghanistan as well. I thought it was interesting, but I wasn't really overly surprised, especially considering how many foreign insurgents showed up in Iraq.

**Palindrome**

Orlanth wrote:
Dont be lazy, look for yourself.

As for Islamic fanaticism being a problem, its more than just the Daily Mail seeing that one. Are you going to try the one where anyone who points out the holes in our multi cultural society is 'racist'?

You are the one making claims that the Labour government is effectively responsible for Islamic fundamentalisim in Britain and that allowing 'open door' immigration was a ploy to win votes; the burden of proof is on you. Fundamentalism is a problem in this country, not just Islamic fundamentalism.

**Medium of Death**

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6418456/Labour-wanted-mass-immigration-to-make-UK-more-multicultural-says-former-adviser.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/21/immigration-back-to-labour-basics-editorial

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8476605/WikiLeaks-fear-of-offending-Muslims-allowed-extremists-into-Britain-ahead-of-77-London-bombings.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jun/04/pm-nick-clegg-muslim-extremists

It's funny how we start to hear about a surge in home grown extremism during and after the years of Labours 'open door' policy.

**Palindrome**

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan also happened during this period. Do you think that they may have had a much greater impact than immigration policy?

Islamic fundamentalisim is global and there is a sufficently large indigenous muslim population here, with internet access, that even if we have closed borders we would still have home grown islamic fundamentalists.

Attempting to claim that immigration causes islamic fundamentalism is dishonest.

**Frazzled**

Jihadin wrote:I will mention we did captured a insurgent that seriously had a brit accent near Spin Buldok

I've heard offering a Brit instant tea is considered torture...

**Palindrome**

Frazzled wrote:
Jihadin wrote:I will mention we did captured a insurgent that seriously had a brit accent near Spin Buldok

I've heard offering a Brit instant tea is considered torture...

Whats instant tea? Is that the strange brownish grey granules that no one in this country actually drinks?

**Frazzled**

Powder you throw in a cup with hot water. Also good for spotting leaks in pipes (its original use).