The parents of an Australian doctor who joined the Islamic State have spoken to 7NEWS about their shock at learning he is still alive and the “anger” they have towards their son.
Tareq Kamleh, nicknamed by the world’s media as ‘Doctor Jihad’, was a 30-year-old paediatrician living in Perth, but went to the Middle East in 2015, joined ISIS and featured in propaganda videos for the terrorist group.
It was widely believed he had been killed in a battle in Syria in 2017.
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But about four weeks ago, Imad Kamleh received a call from Red Cross who said his son was alive and in prison in Baghdad.
It has since been revealed Tareq Kamleh is among 13 Australian men in the prison, linked with ISIS, now hoping to return to Australia.
“It was a shock for us,” said Kamleh senior.
“I can’t explain how I felt getting that call. I can’t say I felt happy. I felt sorry for him. But sorry for him not as a father, just as a human.
“We don’t endorse what he did. We hate what he did. We condemn it.”
Asked what their message to their son would be if they could speak with him today — his mother said she had “nothing for him”.
“I give no regard to him. From me, nothing,” she said.
Imad Kamleh said his message would simply be how “very angry” they were with him.
The parents of an Australian doctor who joined the Islamic State have spoken to 7NEWS about their shock at learning he is still alive. Credit: 7NEWS/ AP
Tareq Kamleh grew up in Perth’s eastern suburbs, and went to school at Lynwood Senior High School.
His parents said he was a normal and bright boy, going on to study medicine and working as a paediatrician in hospitals in Adelaide, Queensland and Perth.
But his parents said there were no warning signs when he told them he was going on a two week holiday to Melbourne, but instead travelled to Syris and joined Islamic State.
The first they learnt of it was when he appeared on television news after a slick IS propaganda video showed him as a doctor for the terrorist organisation.
He later featured in videos brandishing a rifle.
The Kamleh’s said they have had zero contact with their son since the day he left.
“Here in Australia we are lucky, we have freedom, it is a good life if people have different views they can talk. Why did he want to take that away from others? Why would he give that up himself,” Imad Kamleh said.
“We came to this country, myself from Palestine and my wife from Germany, and it is a privilege being of this country, Australia.
“Why destroy life?”
A government spokesperson has said: “The Government has not and will not provide any assistance to any Australia who made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation.”
And the Opposition has called for efforts to block his re-entry.
From the Government, Housing Minister Clare O’Neill said earlier this week as far as she was concerned Tareq Kamleh could “rot in jail”.
His father said he understood and accepted that view. He said “whatever the Australian law says should happen, should happen.”
He said he was hopeful his son no longer held extreme views and also hoped that somehow, one day, his son could contribute to de-radicalisation efforts for others.
“A doctor for children, he could have helped children here in Australia or anywhere in the world, he didn’t have to go to Syria and ISIL and that crap. He is stupid,” Imad said.
The family also spoke of being isolated massively in Perth, including by many in the Muslim community, and also likely, they had pre-emptively isolated themselves to an extent out of “shame”.
“He also ruined his life, and he ruined our lives, and our daughter’s life,” he said.
“We hate ISIL and we hate what Tareq did.”
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