November 18, 2014
The father of a medical student turned jihadist from Cardiff fears his son appears in the Islamic State's latest execution video and says "he must face up to what he has done".
Nasser Muthana appeared to be among 16 jihadists who were filmed beheading Syrian soldiers Photo: Universal News
The father of a British medical student turned jihadist has said his son should face execution himself if he is proved to be a killer appearing in an Islamic State execution video alongside 'Jihadi John'.
Ahmed Muthana, said he fears his son, Nasser Muthana, is one of a gang of camouflaged Isil fighters who line up to behead Syrian military captives in a horrific video released at the weekend.
Muthana, from Cardiff, is suspected of appearing standing alongside the masked militant known as Jihadi John in the video, which also announces the death of American hostage Peter Kassig.
His father said he had seen stills of the video and was unable to confirm the man was his 20-year-old son, but feared it was. He said his son should face a death sentence if proven to be a killer.
Mr Muthana, 57, said: "If that's what he has done to someone then that is what should be done to him.
"I am like any other father. I am trying not to believe it is my boy, but it looks like him.
"But I am not going to make excuses for him. He is a grown man and he must face up to what he has done."
Mr Muthana, a retired electrical engineer, said he had sympathy for the family of Mr Kassig and the Syrian soldiers killed in the executions.
He said: “What they are doing is inhuman, this is not the son I brought up. He has been got at – he has changed."
Nasser Muthana was a promising student with a university place to study medicine before he travelled to Syria last year to wage jihad against Bashar al Assad’s regime. He was followed months later by his younger brother Aseel, aged 17.
(From left) Abu Dujana al Hindi, Nasser Muthana from Cardiff and Abu Bara al Hindi
Nasser then appeared in a recruiting video released earlier this year urging would-be jihadists to join him fighting for Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Isil).
Mr Muthana, who has four children, said he had not heard directly from either son since they left.
He said the man in the film was thinner than he had last seen his son.
He said: “It resembles him. I was shown a picture of the video. I cannot confirm it is him, but I think it might be."
Mr Muthana said he would disown his sons.
He said: "I have not heard directly from either of my sons since they went. But Aseel was in touch with my cousin earlier this year in the Yemen through social networking.
"My cousin has died recently so we have lost my only point of contact.
"They are my sons and they are gone and I don't want them back. No father wants to disown their children but I have no choice. That is the way it is."
