Britons pretending to fight IS are swindling donors out of cash, says ex-soldier
‘One UK fighter claimed he was in Syria fighting for eight months while he was still sat at home’
Alan Duncan, Peshmerga milita
A FORMER British soldier fighting against Islamic State claims fraudsters are hijacking the cause to raise thousands of pounds in sponsorship from unsuspecting donors in the West.
Alan Duncan, 47, who is currently in Iraq with the Peshmerga militia, says several Westerners, including Britons, have falsely claimed they are raising money to travel to Syria or Iraq to fight the terror group.
In an exclusive interview with the Standard he said that claiming to be heading to Iraq to fight IS had become a money-making scheme for some. Mr Duncan, who served with the Royal Irish Regiment, said: “These individuals are not joining an official body, yet they are receiving thousands through accounts they have set up independently when they are not actually really here to fight.
“Others are still on British soil and haven’t even made it here yet but are scamming people.”
He said one fighter from the United States went on the run with thousands of pounds after the Peshmerga carried out security checks and found he was a convicted sex offender.
Mr Duncan, who has been in Kurdistan since December, said: “We are here to help and protect the people, we are not here to make thousands through PayPal accounts, fake profiles or selling stories. That’s not our agenda but it’s becoming more apparent that this is the agenda for a growing number. There are a lot of people making a difference but, on the other hand, security is being tightened to stop those with a different agenda from committing fraud.”
Mr Duncan — who was in the same Christian militia, Dwekh Nawsha, as former bouncer Tim Locks who sold his home to join in the fight against IS — said: “I have been contacted by hundreds of Londoners online who want to join us but we do not recruit in that manner. Very few who are out here are actually genuine. Some just want five minutes of fame and actually never make it here or disappear after a few days.”
He added: “One UK fighter claimed he was in Syria fighting for eight months while he was still sat at home.”
Another Briton, Shwan Bradosti, 28, who is currently offering his translation skills and conduc ting background checks for the Peshmerga militia, told the Standard: “We have a big problem with UK and US fighters joining local militias for a short period of time to dress in the army gear and pose with guns and then set up PayPal or money transfer accounts to raise thousands from people and later disappear.”
He added: “Others out here who really care about the people of Kurdistan are grafting and putting in work. One British individual we are investigating raised £13,000 and then disappeared after a few days.
“Others have criminal backgrounds which we report to the government in an attempt to put a stop to their criminal behaviour.”
Mr Bradosti revealed that sex offenders and other serious criminals are being discovered and reported to British and American embassies. The professional kick-boxer from Hounslow, who was born in Kurdistan but grew up in the capital, is the founder of the SS8489 foundation in Kurdistan which offers aid to displaced families.
He revealed that background checks were imperative to ensure the legitimacy of UK and US recruits, saying: “When we believe fighters are here to scam people not only in the UK but internationally we seek arrest warrants and report them to their embassies.”