Father's Perilous Missions To Save Syria Jihadis

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By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A father who rescued his own jihadi son from the clutches of Syrian rebels is now travelling back to the country to track down other young foreign fighters.

Dimitri Bontinck risked his life on a perilous 10-month quest to find his teenage son, travelling to Syria three times before the pair were eventually reunited in late 2013.

Despite the continuing danger, the former Belgian soldier is now helping other families, including some from the UK, in the search for their loved ones in the war-torn country.

Mr Bontinck told Sky News: "I have no other choice than to help those going through the same kind of trauma and nightmare I experienced."

He claims the Belgian, British and many other western governments are adding to that trauma by refusing to help in the search for those who have gone to Syria and Iraq - and for criminalising those who return from the region.

"It's so sad that parents like me and so many thousands of parents worldwide are standing alone, that nobody's helping them. It's disgusting really, it's selfish," he said.

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Mr Bontinck claims he approached the police and other agencies in Belgium on numerous occasions after his son Jejoen converted to Islam and later began to show signs of radicalisation.

"We asked for help from everyone, from the police, from the authorities and youth organisations ... because we see that something is going wrong, we see that it's no good for his future - and they were just watching," he said.

"The reply from all those we asked for help was the same: 'We are living in a democracy, you have freedom of speech, you have freedom of religion'. So it was very sad for us."

Jejoen Bontinck was a popular teenager in his native Antwerp, an accomplished breakdancer who appeared in a number of music videos, but according to his parents he became increasingly radical in his religious and political views and eventually ran off to join rebel groups in Syria.

After the Belgian authorities told him they were unable to help track down his son, Dimitri Bontinck took the extraordinary decision to travel to the region himself to try to find the teenager.

"I followed a father's instinct, I followed my heart. I couldn't stay here just watching, not taking action and responsibility," he said.

On repeated trips to Syria he befriended local people and many rebel fighters who helped in the search for his son. "It was a danger mission, believe me. I risked my life and met many fighting groups. At times, there were snipers above my head; bombs and attacks."

Although the vast majority of rebel fighters he met were very friendly, Dimitri said he was held captive at one point, suspected of spying. "They put a cap over my head and handcuffed me. They were beating me on the head and I was thinking 'Is it all worth it?'

"Then another part of me thought 'I believe in my son, there is love for my son, if there is a God, they'll release me.' And they did."

On his third trip to Syria, he was reunited with his son, who he claimed was happy to return to Belgium because he realised he had been "naive" and that he "had been used" by others.

Dimitri Bontinck says he is in contact with dozens of other families and is now actively trying to help them find their loved ones.

Ozana Rodrigues, whose son ran off to fight with Islamic State in Syria more than a year ago, said Dimitri was the only person willing to help her.

In a cafe in central Antwerp, she told Sky News: "Dimitri talks to people, parents that have lost their kids - but the authorities don't want to help. They don't care and there is no support, while we're suffering."

She said Dimitri had made contact with her son Brian, but that so far, he is refusing to return home.

"When Dimitri went to Syria to get his son, I was praying to God that he would see my son and bring him back but it didn't work out that way," she said.

Although Dimitri's son is safely back in Antwerp, the 19-year-old is now at the centre of a huge terrorism trial in Belgium, one of more than 40 people being prosecuted for membership of a banned organisation.

His father is deeply critical of the Belgian government's decision to prosecute.

"With this wrong attitude and stigmatisation they're creating more frustration against the West," he said.

"They're creating more violence against the West. It's totally wrong."

Despite the prospect that other young Europeans he rescues from Syria will also be prosecuted, Dimitri Bontinck said he still feels compelled to help.

"I thought I would never return to Syria, but when mothers are calling me and crying on the phone because nobody's helping them ... when they ask to meet me, I'm not going to say no," he said.

Dimitri Bontinck has now risked his life eight times travelling to Syria. He has just returned from his latest trip there and says he plans to return to the region again in the weeks ahead.

:: Watch the full report on Sky News at 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 8.30pm, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

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