British Paratrooper charged with terrorism for ‘trying to join Kurdish fighters in Syria’ - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#15055798
The Guardian wrote:Former British soldier charged with terror offences for ‘trying to join Kurdish fighters in Syria’
Daniel Burke told police he was not a terrorist and that his arrest was a ‘f***ing joke’

He is accused of attempting to travel back to Syria when Turkey invaded following US withdrawal from Kurdish-held territories ( Anadolu Agency/Getty )
A former British Army soldier has been charged with terror offences for allegedly planning to join Kurdish fighters in Syria.

Daniel Burke originally fought with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) between late 2017 and June 2018.

A court heard the 32-year-old was investigated by counterterror police when he returned to the UK, but no action was taken against him.

But Mr Burke was arrested on 7 December in Dover and accused of attempting to travel back to Syria, and helping another person make the journey to Iraq via Spain.

He is also accused of another terror offence for allegedly supporting former comrades in the YPG with money and equipment through platforms including PayPal.

A hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday was told he decided to return to Syria after Donald Trump pulled American troops out Kurdish-controlled areas that had been retaken from Isis.

The withdrawal was swiftly followed by Turkish invasion.

British fighter who battled Isis in Syria jailed for four years

British volunteers who fought Isis ‘harassed by security services’

Former British soldier who fought against Isis attacks terror charge
Mr Burke, of Baguley in Wythenshawe, Manchester, served in the elite Parachute Regiment between 2007 and 2009.

Upon his arrest, he told police: “I’m not a terrorist, you know I’m not a terrorist. I’ve done nothing but fight for this country. This is a f***ing joke.”

Mr Burke is charged with two counts of preparing acts of terrorism, in relation to the travel plans, and one count of funding terrorism.

Judge Tan Ikram remanded him in custody ahead of a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on 17 January.
#15055799
@noemon

We actually had some of our veterans from the Iraq and Afghan wars who joined Kurdish fighters and fought against ISIS on the ground side by side with Kurdish fighters. They were not charged with any terrorism related offenses to my knowledge here in the United States for doing so. A few others went and joined the Ukrainian army to fight the Russians and a few also joined the Australian Army to fight for the Aussie government (if the Aussies are embroiled in any wars anywhere).

Some of these American veterans settled down in Australia after joining the Australian armed forces. They said the schools are pretty good over there where their kids attend. Still, if you are a soldier or war veterans, it's a bad idea to free lance yourself out to other organizations or governments in my view. Take one oath and one oath only. You can't serve more than one master. Some of the soldiers I think join these other organizations or swear an oath to a foreign government to fight in a foreign army after our wars have winded down because they are in search of the next adrenaline rush and action and adventure as well as a good fight. After all, you join to fight. We even had soldiers who lost legs, got prosthetic limbs and then went back to fight in Afghanistan on artificial limbs.
#15055804
@noemon

Check this out noeman. Soldiers fighting wars with missing legs. You can't keep good soldiers down.


Jason Koebler wrote:For decades, a soldier's lost limb meant a life confined to a wheelchair or crutches, and at the very least a discharge from active service. But an increasing number of injuries in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, while horrific, have led by necessity to advancements in prosthetics technology. In fact, some amputee service members have been able to remain on active duty, thanks to the experience earned by their doctors.

According to the Army, at least 167 soldiers who have had a major limb amputation (complete loss of an arm, leg, hand, or foot) have remained on active duty since the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, with some returning to battle. Many others have returned overseas to work in support roles behind the lines.


https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/20 ... ctive-duty

Here is one of our double amputees who returned to fight in one of the more dangerous parts of Afghanistan. The "One-legged Warrior of Ashoqeh" (nickname the Afghans gave him):

Tood Pitman wrote:Luckett's remarkable recovery can be attributed in part to dogged self-determination. But technological advances have been crucial: Artificial limbs today are so effective, some war-wounded like Luckett are not only able to do intensive sports like snow skiing, they can return to active duty as fully operational soldiers. The Pentagon says 41 American amputee veterans are now serving in combat zones worldwide.

Luckett was a young platoon leader on his first tour in Iraq when an explosively formed penetrator — a bomb that hurls an armor-piercing lump of molten copper — ripped through his vehicle on a Baghdad street on Mother's Day 2008.


Todd Pitman wrote:On one of those early patrols, Luckett took to a knee and his pants leg rode up a little bit, revealing the prosthetic limb to a shocked group of Afghan soldiers nearby, Auge said. One gave him the nickname, the "One-legged Warrior of Ashoqeh."


http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39356718/ns/w ... ghanistan/
#15055955
The problem lies with the issue of Turkey being a member nation of NATO , along with such other countries as the United Kingdom . Turkey views the YPG , and the International Freedom Battalion , which is aligned with it , as being a terrorist organization . It therefore deems foreign volunteers to likewise be terrorists . https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/british-volunteers-syrian-kurd-forces-are-terrorists-turkey-says
#15055966
@Deutschmania

I personally don't trust the Turks quite frankly speaking. The only reason why we have them in NATO is because of their strategic location by the Black Sea and I think they try to play the West and Russia against each other because they know both Russia and the West recognizes the importance of their strategic location. Personally, we don't need to sell them our F-35 if they are purchasing the S-400, which last time I checked, we denied selling them the F-35 given their purchases of Russian S-400 systems.

Edit:

@Deutschmania

Yeah, I see what you mean. That's a mess! Trump really did create a mess by betraying our Kurdish allies to the Turks after they helped us tremendously in fighting ISIS. Now that British citizen who went abroad free lancing himself out has been arrested and branded a terrorist by his own government. What a mess, especially for him! To be branded by his own government like that. He'll probably have that brand for the rest of his life and any honorable service he had in the British army as a British citizen has now been erased. But, it just goes to show what I say about free lancing yourself out: you can't do it. You can only serve one master and that is the government you are a citizen of.

Those veterans who decided to go abroad free lancing themselves out swore an oath to their native government when they previously served in the armed forces of their native government. That's the only oath they can realistically uphold without getting themselves into trouble or branded a terrorist or traitor. So, even though some veterans after these recent wars winded down craved the next adrenaline rush or more action and adventure; it's never a good idea to do it by free lancing yourself out to foreign governments, armies or other organizations.

Speaking as a US Army veteran of the recent war in Afghanistan myself, I felt it was always wise after a tour in the recent wars was over, just to serve out your term honorably in the army. Then return to civilian life to live a peaceful quiet productive life where you can just put the war behind you and move on with bigger and better things.

A lot of guys here in the US joined the US Army and US Marine Corps when the wars were going on just so they can fight and see combat. When the wars started winding down and the fighting was over, those same guys served their terms and got out because their was no more fighting to be done. It's important for veterans to learn to be a civilian again. It takes some time, but with patience, you get your individuality back and create a life for yourself as a civilian again. Some veterans of these recent wars who joined up to fight, I think have a hard time doing that. This is probably one of the reasons why some of them decide to free lance themselves out in other conflicts they really have no business fighting in.
#15055971
It used to be acceptable to join YPG forces. Daniel Burke was not charged for spending around eight months fighting against ISIS, which was not considered terrorism by the state. It has become a terrorism offence since Trump switched sides by pulling US forces out of Syria. Despite the geopolitical shift, he was still trying to rejoin YPG forces and he further supplied former Kurdish comrades with cash and equipment via platforms such as PayPal. "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

The first charge relates to allegedly organising transport for a fellow Brit fighter to travel to Iraq via Spain to rejoin YPG forces, while the second relates to making similar arrangements for himself.

The third charge relates to allegations that he supplied former comrades in the YPG with cash and equipment via platforms such as PayPal.

The court heard Burke was moved to return to Syria following President Donald Trump's decision to pull US forces out of Syria and the subsequent invasion of Kurdish-held areas by Turkey.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10604256/ ... ting-isis/
#15056023
Seriously, British courts should only try people for terrorism if the act is directly threatening the safety of British citizens. Fighting in Middle East, especially if no significant British personnel is involved, is none of their business.

I wonder who gave pressure to the persecutor.
#15056061
This makes me puke, but it's 21st century politics. We send our boys to be killed and maimed then allow people like Phil Shiner to drag them through the courts. It's absolutely disgraceful, it's heartbreaking. The reason people are not joining the army today is because soldiers dont get the support they deserve.
#15057600
ThirdTerm wrote:It used to be acceptable to join YPG forces. Daniel Burke was not charged for spending around eight months fighting against ISIS, which was not considered terrorism by the state. It has become a terrorism offence since Trump switched sides by pulling US forces out of Syria. Despite the geopolitical shift, he was still trying to rejoin YPG forces and he further supplied former Kurdish comrades with cash and equipment via platforms such as PayPal. "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

From the article you quoted .
Judge Tan Ikram remanded Burke in custody until his next hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on January 17
I'm afraid that Burke might get railroaded , given the judge's religion . https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6506135/muslim-lawyers-tan-ikram-emma-edhem-faith-justice/ Possible conflict of interest , maybe ? edit : Oh yeah , this doesn't look too good . https://newspunch.com/julian-assange-re ... lease-him/

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