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Jack Letts

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Jack Letts
Born1995 (age 28–29)[1]
NationalityUnited Kingdom-Canada[2]
Other names

Jack Letts – nicknamed "Jihadi Jack" by the press[who?] – is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada who was charged with being a member of the so called Islamic state, by the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (DFNS) in October 2017.[4]

In 2016, Letts' parents were accused of funding terrorism for trying to send money to him while he was in Syria. Appearing in court in June, they denied three counts of funding terrorism and were released on conditional bail. They are awaiting trial.[5]

Biography

Early life

Letts was born in Oxford to non-Muslim parents John Letts and Sally Lane.[6] He attended Cherwell School,[7] and converted to Islam as a teenager. He attended local mosques and learned Arabic in order to read the Koran.

Middle Eastern conflict

In 2014, aged 18, he dropped out of school and travelled to Jordan; by late 2014, he had traveled to ISIS-held Syria.[8] Letts has denied press stories that while in the Middle East, Letts adopted the name Abu Mohammed and married a woman from Fallujah, Iraq, with whom he has had a son.[9]

Letts later claimed that ISIS attempted to imprison him on three occasions, and also threatened to kill him.[1]

Reports in October 2017[who?] claimed that Letts was captured by Kurdish militia while trying to flee during the battle for the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa.[10] Letts denies this, and says he was seeking to escape ISIS-held territory.

Letts claims that his journey to the Middle East was part of his "search for truth", and denies being a member of ISIS.[8] But when asked if he was a terrorist stated:

Do you mean by the English government’s definition, that anyone that opposes a non-Islamic system and man-made laws? Then, of course, by that definition, I suppose they’d say I’m a terrorist, khalas (and that’s that). He also stated that he was not with you "dirty-non-Muslims".[11][6]

In 2016, Letts also said in an online statement he "hated" his parents "for the sake of Allaah" because they are non-believers, and called on them to convert. He added: "They reject the religion of truth, so I reject them. I hate the Kuffaar [non-believers], and am free from them. Die in your rage."[12]

Accusations of funding terrorism

On 9 June 2016, Letts' parents appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, upon charges of funding terrorism.[13] The court heard that the couple had tried to send money to their son on three separate occasions, from September 2015 to January 2016.[13] John Letts and Sally Lane insist this was only done to help their son escape from ISIS territory.[14][15] They were remanded in custody.[16][13]

After spending five days in prison, a senior High Court judge reinstated their bail, following a hearing at the Old Bailey.[17] A trial was set for January 2017, again at the Old Bailey.[18] The case was delayed again as the couple was given permission to challenge the charges against them 'on a point of law' in the Supreme Court.[19] As of September 2017, they are still awaiting trial.[19]

Pleas for rescue

After Letts informed his parents he was in Kurdish custody outside of ISIS territory, they asked the British authorities for help. The Foreign Office said that they could not help due to lack of consular services in Syria and Iraq[8], and were told by FCO officials that British government policy was not to help any British citizens return from Syria[20]. Letts initially told the BBC: "I don't want anyone to help me",[8] but soon after requested help to return to the UK[20] and said he is happy to be arrested and put on trial for any crime the police claim he has committed.[14]. Jack Letts' parents have since staged a 7-day hunger strike to bring attention to his case.[21] On November 10, 2017, they launched a petition to "Secure the release of Jack Letts who is detained in northern Syria".[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Grierson, Jamie (13 June 2017). "UK Muslim convert Jack Letts detained by Kurdish forces – reports". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  2. ^ Tom Blackwell (8 November 2017). "Trent University graduate John Letts urging Canada to bring home his son, known as Jihadi Jack, for Kurdish militia custody in northern Syria". The Peterborough Examiner. Retrieved 8 November 2017. In a statement that was first reported by the BBC, though, officials in the self-declared Kurdish region of northern Syria said he had been charged with being a member of ISIL, and strongly refuted any suggestion that he is being mistreated. Meanwhile, Letts is being investigated by "local and global anti-terror units," they said. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ O'Carroll, Lisa; Gani, Aisha (25 January 2016). "'Jihadi Jack' is a label invented by media, say worried parents". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  4. ^ Emma Vardy (28 October 2017). "'Jihadi Jack' charged with being IS member, Kurdish officials say". BBC News. Retrieved 8 November 2017. His parents have denied he went to Syria to fight with IS, and started a petition claiming he had "disappeared in a Guantanamo-style black site" in Kurdish-controlled territory. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bbc2017-06-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Rawlinson, Kevin (25 July 2016). "Muslim convert Jack Letts denies he is fighting for Isis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  7. ^ "'Jihadi Jack' calls on British people to convert to Islam as he brands Cameron an 'evil creature'". The Independent. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d Sandford, Daniel; Swann, Steve (13 June 2017). "'Jihadi Jack in jail' after leaving IS-controlled territory". BBC News. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  9. ^ "'Jihadi Jack' has dismissed reports he has joined Isis as 'awkward'". The Independent. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  10. ^ Smith, Adam (5 June 2017). "Jihadi Jack asks to leave jail to 'explain some things' to his mother". Metro. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  11. ^ Khan, Shehab (31 January 2016). "Muslim convert Jack Letts calls on Brits to turn to Islam". The Independent.
  12. ^ Farmer, Ben (25 July 2016). "Jihadi Jack: 'I hate my parents, but miss doughnuts'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  13. ^ a b c "IS suspect 'Jihadi Jack's' parents granted bail over terrorism offences". BBC News. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Jihadi Jack parents: Our son doesn't hate us". BBC Victoria Derbyshire. 29 June 2017.
  15. ^ "'Jihadi Jack': Parents accused of funding terror remanded in custody". London Evening Standard. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  16. ^ Rossington, Ben (9 June 2017). "Parents of 'Jihadi Jack' ISIS militant remanded in custody after denying sending money to their son".
  17. ^ Reporters, Telegraph (14 June 2016). "'Jihadi Jack' parents accused of funding terrorism given bail as judge says 'perfectly decent people ended up in custody' over 'love of child'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  18. ^ "'Jihadi Jack' parents to face terror trial in January". BBC News. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  19. ^ a b Legal Editor, Frances Gibb (11 September 2017). "Parents in legal fight over money for 'Jihadi Jack'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 1 October 2017. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ a b "'#freejackletts". Counterpunch magazine. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  21. ^ Kershaw, Tom (29 October 2017). "'Jihadi Jack' has not been heard from for months and was tortured in prison, his parents claim". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  22. ^ "Petition: Secure the release of Jack Letts who is detained in northern Syria". Petitions - UK Government and Parliament. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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