A British former grammar school pupil captured in Syria trying to flee Islamic State has insisted he is not a terrorist - despite admitting wearing a uniform and a carrying a Kalashnikov.
Shabazz Suleman claimed he spent most of his time in Raqqa, the de facto capital of the group’s so-called Caliphate, playing computer games and riding his bicycle.
The 22-year-old is now trying to return to the UK saying that although he received weapons training and was on the front line, he managed to avoid battles and never fired a single shot.
In an interview from a prison cell in Syria, he told Sky News: “I take responsibility. I was with ISIS, I was with a terrorist organisation. But I didn’t kill anyone, I hope I didn’t oppress anyone.
“I did have a Kalashnikov and a military uniform, but I didn’t hit anyone, I didn’t oppress anyone, if you understand. I was there with military police but like I said, I was in the office.”
A spokeswoman for the Met said Suleman, from High Wycombe, could expect to be investigated by police if he returns.
She said: “Everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq must expect to be investigated by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.
“Many terrorist offences have extra-territorial jurisdiction, which means that people can be prosecuted in the British courts for terrorist activity in Syria or elsewhere in the world.
“Any decision on whether to prosecute will be taken by the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a case by case basis.”
Suleman disappeared while on a family holiday to Turkey three years ago, ending up in IS territory.
But he said he became “disillusioned” with the terrorist group after around five months.
He said: “The international community abandoned Syria - it’s well known. So when I saw ISIS fighting the Syrian regime and gaining results and the picture, the propaganda they were sending out to young Muslims like us… at the beginning it was more romantic jihad, protecting civilians - it wasn’t about beheading or killing.
“I was there to defend the Syrians - honestly I came here for that first, but ISIS changed. Four or five months into ISIS I wanted to leave.”
On returning from the front line, he said he asked to quit IS and was thrown into jail.
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After a month of watching people being tortured, he said he “gave in” and agreed to stay, asking for a role away from fighting.
He said he was transferred to the Military Police, aimed at keeping the civilian population in order, but insisted he was mostly office-bound, playing games on his laptop or on guard duty at checkpoints.
“A caliphate is like a magnet - it attracts all the foreign fighters. If I get prosecuted, I get prosecuted - I guess it’s my destiny.
“I’d regret it. I don’t want to spend more of my life in prison. I want to get on with my life.
“I want to get back to life. I’m 22. I think every day I’m wasting another day in ISIS territory, now I’m in prison wasting more of my life.
“Depending on my prison sentence, if I get a long sentence, I don’t want to go back to Britain. If it’s short, I’d do prison and go out, get a job, continue my studies in politics… whatever.”
His comments come days after Government minister Rory Stewart said the “only way” to deal with British IS fighters is to kill them “in almost every case”.
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