01:01Belgium: Father of Belgian jihadist speaks out
Belgium: Father of Belgian jihadist speaks out
Dimitri Bontinck is the father of an 18-year-old Belgian convert to Islam who is now believed to be fighting in the Syrian conflict as a jihadist. Bontinck, who travelled to Syria in the hope of finding his son, Jejoen, and bringing him back to Belgium, failed after he was denied contact with his son.
Jejoen, who was brought up in Belgium, is believed to have adopted the Islamic faith when he was in his mid-teenage years before becoming involved with radical Salafist organisation, Sharia4Belgium. Dimitri Bontinck believes his son was brainwashed by the group, which calls for Belgium to be turned into an Islamist state. The group is also known for opposing Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.
Dimitri Bontinck recounted his failed mission to find his son, telling RT: "They kidnapped me, they put a cap on me, I was almost dead. They suspected me of being a spy, working for the CIA, so it was an amazing mission and at least I came back here to Belgium with empty hands because these radical people, these leaders, these emirs of Sharia, they don't give me the opportunity to see my own son, so where's the respect for a father from the West to see his son?"
01:01Belgium: Father of Belgian jihadist speaks out
Dimitri Bontinck is the father of an 18-year-old Belgian convert to Islam who is now believed to be fighting in the Syrian conflict as a jihadist. Bontinck, who travelled to Syria in the hope of finding his son, Jejoen, and bringing him back to Belgium, failed after he was denied contact with his son.
Jejoen, who was brought up in Belgium, is believed to have adopted the Islamic faith when he was in his mid-teenage years before becoming involved with radical Salafist organisation, Sharia4Belgium. Dimitri Bontinck believes his son was brainwashed by the group, which calls for Belgium to be turned into an Islamist state. The group is also known for opposing Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.
Dimitri Bontinck recounted his failed mission to find his son, telling RT: "They kidnapped me, they put a cap on me, I was almost dead. They suspected me of being a spy, working for the CIA, so it was an amazing mission and at least I came back here to Belgium with empty hands because these radical people, these leaders, these emirs of Sharia, they don't give me the opportunity to see my own son, so where's the respect for a father from the West to see his son?"