Jerusalem Arab Father Denies Son Spied on IS for Israel
The father of an Arab Israeli teen from Jerusalem denied on Friday a claim by the Islamic State group that his son was an Israeli agent captured after infiltrating the organization in Syria.
In the latest issue of its online English-language magazine Dabiq, IS published an alleged interview with 19-year old Mohammed Said Ismail Musallam in which he reportedly says Israel's Mossad agency recruited him to spy on the jihadist group.
"My son is innocent, IS accused him of working for Mossad because he tried to run away," the father, Said Musallam, told AFP.
"He is absolutely not religious," he said, adding that perhaps his son had been recruited through the Internet.
Dabiq said that Mohammed had been tasked by Israel with gathering information on IS bases and weapons and on Palestinians volunteering to fight for the group in Syria.
It published a photo which Said identified as of his son, but did not say what became of him.
It quoted the youth as saying that his Mossad handler promised to pay him a monthly salary and ensure his future on his return home.
A spokesman for Israel's Shin Bet security service told AFP Mohammed had left home on October 24 "on his own initiative", implying that he had not been sent by Israel.
Official policy is not to comment on such allegations.
The spokesman said Mohammed traveled from Israel to Turkey and "from there crossed to Syria and joined IS to fight for the organization".
Said said his son, an Israeli citizen, abandoned his national service in the fire department to join the jihadists in Syria.
He said the last time they spoke by phone Mohammed was in Raqa, the self-proclaimed capital of the jihadists in northern Syria.
He said his son wanted to return home after having completing basic training with IS.
Said showed AFP a picture of his son wearing black combat fatigues like those used by jihadists and holding a Kalashnikov rifle.
He said he was very worried about his son's fate at the hands of IS, which has brutally executed many prisoners in recent months.
Asked if he could raise a ransom in exchange for his son, the father said he was a mere bus driver with no property or assets to his name.
"I am a simple employee," he said.
The family live in the Jewish settlement neighborhood of Neve Yaakov, in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Said was born in the occupied West Bank but said his four children have Israeli passports.
According to Dabiq, Mohammed was recruited in Neve Yaakov by a Jewish neighbor working for the security services and was given away by his behavior and his refusal to obey an IS commander.
The Shin Bet has recently reported several cases of Arab Israelis killed in action with IS or arrested on their return for planning to set up a cell in Israel.
Source: Agence France Presse
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