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Gillingham man Anthony Harrison interviewed by police after fighting Isis in Syria

00:00, 16 June 2015

A man who spent two months fighting terrorist group Isis in the Syrian desert says prosecuting him and fellow volunteers would be “insane”.

Anthony Harrison, 26, from Gillingham, travelled out to join Kurdish YPG forces in April, and returned home on Saturday, June 6 , after two months of combat on the front line in Rojava.

Aware of the fact officers would want to talk to him about his activities, he contacted police soon after arriving back and was interviewed on Wednesday afternoon.

Anthony Harrison at Costa Coffee, High Street, Rochester, after returning home from Syria
Anthony Harrison at Costa Coffee, High Street, Rochester, after returning home from Syria

But he hopes to avoid prosecution and believes the interview was just “a basic information grab” to determine where he’d gone, what he did, and how he got to Syria.

“We’re going out there to fight terrorism and to fight against Isis,” he said.

“They are just the same as cancer, it needs to be stopped. (We were) putting our lives on the line, and to come back and hear that we could be prosecuted for fighting for what we believe in – it’s absolutely insane to think they would do that to the people who are helping to fight Isis.”

He also raised concerns about security, because he fully expected to be stopped and questioned by officers on arrival at Heathrow, but got home with relative ease.

Mr Harrison at a YPG base
Mr Harrison at a YPG base

“All the time I was thinking I was going to get picked up by police,” he said, recounting his journey home, “but there was nothing. I got on the plane at Jordan and thought this is my last flight before I’ll have a 10-hour conversation, but when I got off the plane I went straight through passport control. I could have been a terrorist.

“I went through eGate and my passport got flagged, but I think it was because I’d had a haircut. I went to speak to a woman, she looked at my passport and she let me through.

“I’ve got no idea why I didn’t get stopped, it’s scary. I could have been fighting for anyone.”

Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti said he would be asking the Home Office to look into the matter urgently.

Rehman Chishti MP
Rehman Chishti MP

He said: “The Prime Minister has made it clear that we have very highly trained border staff and intelligence able to identify those who have been fighting for extremists and those fighting against them, but my constituent’s concerns need to be fully investigated.”

He said he would discourage anyone from travelling to Syria to risk their lives in a foreign war, but added: “My constituent has clearly done the right thing and spoken directly to the police about his activities.”

Mr Harrison said he has no regrets. He hopes his story will show the plight of those threatened by Isis in the Middle East and inspire Western governments to take military action.

Anthony Harrison, pictured closest to camera, in action. Picture: bijikurdistan.tumblr.com
Anthony Harrison, pictured closest to camera, in action. Picture: bijikurdistan.tumblr.com

“We need to shine as much light as we can on the Kurdish people and what’s really going on,” he said. “They need support above all else. The Kurdish people are fantastic.”

A Kent Police spokesman said: "We are aware of media reports of a man returning to the UK recently. We would not confirm if we are investigating someone or details of an investigation.

"Action taken against those returning from conflict zones is considered on a case by case basis and according to UK law.

"When we are made aware of returnees they will be assessed and where there is evidence that they have been involved in a criminal offence they will be dealt with in a consistent way."

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