Uni student first WA IS fighter
A 23-year-old Murdoch University student has been identified as WA’s first fully-fledged Islamic State jihadist, now fighting for the barbaric terrorist group on the battlefields of Syria and Iraq.
Muhammed Sheglabo told his parents last month that he was going camping for a few days but instead went straight to Perth International Airport and boarded a flight out of the country.
Father fears for son who joined Islamic State
It is understood it took him another two weeks to reach the conflict zone where he is now believed to be actively fighting against Western-backed forces in the highly volatile Al-Furat province on the Syria-Iraq border.
The economics student used Twitter to announce his arrival in the territory on February 3, posting images of himself ready for battle in combat-style clothing and armed with knifes and AK-47 assault rifles.
Sheglabo also used Twitter to ask friends in Perth to pass on his “salaams” (greetings) to his family and to tell them not to cry but to be happy and to pray for him.
His devastated family told The Weekend West that they only found out where their son had run off to when WA Police knocked on their door early last week to inform them he was now fighting for IS.
“We had no idea he was doing this,” Muhammed Sheglabo’s father said. “He did not talk to us about these things. We do not support this.”
Sheglabo moved to Perth with his family from war-torn Libya about four years ago.
How he became radicalised is now under investigation but Sheglabo was a follower of controversial Islamic hate preacher Junaid Thorne.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said about 90 Australians were fighting with IS and that another 20 had been killed in battle.
About 100 more have had their passports cancelled.
WA Islamic Council president Rateb Jneid said the council had been disturbed to learn that a young WA Muslim had joined IS.
He urged others to strongly rethink taking similar action and also offered his support to Sheglabo’s family.
Ms Bishop said anyone who was concerned that someone they knew was being radicalised or was preparing to travel to Syria or Iraq to fight, should contact the National Security Hotline immediately on 1800 1234 00.
