Stolen documents from Daesh, also known as the Islamic State, show at least one Icelander registered with the group. However, a closer look has cast doubts upon this data.
In a special report from NBC News in the US, it is revealed that a former member of Daesh stole documents about the group’s membership ranks, shedding light on who comprises them. While most members of Daesh come from Saudi Arabia, the documents reveal, there are also a number of members from Australia and China, and even one member from Iceland.
However, Vísir reports that there is little evidence for this claim. The National Police could find no records of anyone registered as residing in Iceland who bears any connection with Daesh.
Another Icelander (possibly the same Icelander) was previously rumoured to be amongst Daesh’s film crew. However, when The Grapevine spoke with RÚV journalist Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson on the matter, he said that even members of Daesh he was in communications with had no knowledge of any Icelander in their ranks.
“One of the reasons why I communicated with them is because I was trying to find out if rumours that were circulating last year were true, that there was an Icelander involved in making their videos,” he told us. “So one of them went on a mission for me to find out. He was actually kind of nice about it. He reported back and said he had been to the camp where they keep the foreign parties, and none of them had met any Icelanders. They’d met Norwegians, Swedes and Danes, but no Muslim Icelanders. So at least according to that guy, no, Daesh has no interest in Iceland.”
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