An Aberdeen man who flew to the Middle East to fight for jihadist organisation ISIS said in a TV interview today that he misses his parents.
Abdul Rafiq Amin, who went to St Machar Academy and grew up in the Froghall area of Aberdeen, also said his Granite City upbringing had no impact on his radicalisation.
It is the first time Amin has spoken publicly since he first appeared on a video released supporting the ISIS cause in Iraq.
Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning show this morning, he said: “In the Aberdeen mosque there is not one person with the same mentality as me.
“I did not learn my Jihad from the Aberdeen mosque, I learned that on my own on the internet.
“The Aberdeen mosque, they don’t agree with Jihad and disagree with all these extremists – if you call them that.”
In the interview he spoke about how his parents were unaware of his views on Islam and said they wouldn’t understand his decisions.
“My parents know that I left and I was going to Syria, I told them later on”, he said.
“I obviously miss my parents. We all miss our mums.
“To be honest, my parents, they don’t really understand why I left, but I’m not worried because for this life you have to do anything to please God. I’m just giving everything I have, if you are happy or not happy.
“I left the house with the intention of not to go back. I’m going to stay and fight until the Khilafah is established or I die.
“One of the happiest moments in my life was when the plane took off from Gatwick Airport.”