Canberra, April 27 (IANS) An Australian-trained doctor who appears in an Islamic State (IS) propaganda video calling for other medical professionals to join him in Syria has been identified as Tareq Kamleh, media reported on Monday.
According to sources, Kamleh began his career after graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Adelaide in 2010, ABC reported.
He worked at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide from February 2011 to January 2013 as a registrar of paediatric medicine, but spent some time in the Northern Territory in 2012.
In the video, he says he moved from Australia to the IS stronghold of Raqqa in Syria to help their cause.
“I saw this as part of my jihad for Islam to help the Muslims in the area that I could, which is in the medical field,” he said in the video. Also, he said, he wished he had made the move to Syria earlier.
“When I got here, while I was very happy that I made the decision, I was a little bit saddened by how long I delayed it. I wish I’d come a lot sooner.” Kamleh added.
Kamleh’s Facebook page shows images of him posing with weapons. It is not known when he left Australia.
There is a maximum 25-year jail term for any Australian found to be aiding the designated terrorist organization.