Khaled Sharrouf

Khaled Sharrouf (born 23 February 1981) is a foreign fighter who in 2013 traveled to Syrian territory to fight in the Syrian Civil War on the side of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Islamic State). Born in Sydney, Australia, in 2017 he was the first Australian dual-national to have his Australian citizenship revoked under anti-terror legislation passed in 2015. In 2014, he posted an image to the Internet showing his seven-year-old son holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier, an act that was widely condemned.

He was reportedly killed in June 2015, and again in August 2017, but his death has remained unverified.

Early life

Growing up in the 1980s, Sharrouf had a dysfunctional childhood, reportedly living a troubled youth filled with crime and mental illness. He was abandoned by his father for a period. During his teens he both used and dealt drugs. He did not grow up as a practising Muslim. Dr. Jamal Rifi, a local GP, said that Sharrouf was initially diagnosed as being depression, but later believed that it was schizophrenia.[1]

Imam Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly described Sharrouf "as an empty vase, which could be filled with anything, and it was filled with rubbish ideology."[1]

In 2005, he was arrested at his home in Wiley Park along with eight others during an Australian anti-terror investigation code-named Operation Pendennis. He was imprisoned for four years and released on parole in 2009 after a judge and psychiatrist "cautiously believed" that he would "abandon his radical beliefs."[2][3][4][5]

Sharrouf was involved in planning the 2012 Sydney protests regarding the film Innocence of Muslims.[6]

In Syria

Sharrouf traveled from Sydney Airport to ISIL-controlled territory on 6 December 2013 using his brother's passport.[7] He later joined the group in 2014.[8] His activities received wide coverage in Australia in August 2014 after he posted a photo of his seven-year-old son holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier.[9] The incident was condemned by Australian leaders and by the public.[10][11][12] Sharrouf's activities are thought to be war crimes.[13] The incident raised concerns about Australian Muslims being recruited for terrorist activity abroad, and the possibility that the recruits would return to Australia and conduct attacks.[14]

Sharrouf was reported to have been killed on 19 June 2015 by a drone strike.[15] His death was not confirmed, and later reports suggested that he was still alive.[16] In March 2016, Sharrouf's daughter Zaynab stated "we know for sure he is dead".[17] The Australian government was unable to confirm his death.[18]

With Mohamed Elomar, Sharrouf posted photographs of severed heads or dead and mutilated bodies.[19]

In February 2017, he was the first person to have his Australian citizenship revoked under new anti-terror laws passed in 2015.[3][20][19]

On 11 August 2017, he was reported to have been killed by an coalition airstrike while driving near Raqqa, Syria, along with two of his sons.[21]

When questioned, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said that Sharrouf’s death would be nothing to mourn.[19]

Personal life

Sharrouf was married to Tara Nettleton, an Australian woman. They had five children: Zaynab, Hoda, Abdullah, Zarqawi and Hamzah.[22]

Nettleton is believed to have died in Syria following complications from appendix surgery. A family friend, Robert van Alst, said that Nettleton had died in 2015, while her mother, Karen Nettleton, said she had only learned of her daughter's death around February 2016.[23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 "The life and crimes of Australian jihadist Khaled Sharrouf". Radio National. 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2018-08-10.
  2. ↑ Olding, Rachel (24 August 2014). "Terrifying legacy emerges from success of Operation Pendennis". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  3. 1 2 Maley, Paul (11 February 2016). "Khaled Sharrouf stripped of citizenship under anti-terror laws". The Australian. Retrieved 14 February 2017. (Subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ "Khaled Sharrouf". Counter Extremism Project.
  5. ↑ "The Sydney suspects". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 November 2005.
  6. ↑ "How the Hyde Park riot fired up two Australian Muslim terrorists, Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). 1 Oct 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Islamic State: Khaled Sharrouf passed airport checks, evaded authorities in less than two minutes". ABC News. 16 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Australian National Security – Islamic State". Australian Government. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  9. ↑ Crane, Emily (11 August 2014). "'I'm sure you've seen much worse than that': Staggering reaction of uncle of Australian boy, SEVEN, who was pictured brandishing head of slaughtered Syrian soldier". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  10. ↑ "Photo of boy holding decapitated Syrian soldier's head 'barbaric' – Australia PM". RT.com. 11 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "Khaled Sharrouf's sister describes his actions fighting with IS as 'abhorrent'". smh.com.au. 2 October 2014.
  12. ↑ Maley, Paul (12 August 2014). "Jihad's 'child soldiers' spark calls for action on extremists". The Australian. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "'Bucket full of heads any1 in aus want some organs please dont be shy to ask': Smirking Australian terrorist poses with decapitated heads in sickening pictures posted online". Daily Mail. London, UK. July 25, 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  14. ↑ Brendan Nicholson (July 17, 2014). "Returned radicalised jihadis 'a significant risk', says ASIO". The Australian. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  15. ↑ Welch, Dylan (24 June 2015). "Khaled Sharrouf may have been targeted in drone strike months before his death, barrister says". ABC. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Terrorist Khaled Sharrouf still alive after drone attack that killed Mohamed Elomar". news.com.au. News Limited. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  17. ↑ Awford, Jenny (21 March 2016). "14-year-old daughter of notorious terrorist Khaled Sharrouf confirms that 'we know for sure he is dead'". Daily Mail. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  18. ↑ Ferrier, Tracey (30 April 2017). "Who is Khaled Sharrouf and is he alive?". NewsComAu. Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  19. 1 2 3 Benson, Simon; Maley, Paul; Bearup, Greg (additional reporting) (17 August 2017). "Aussie intel pinpointed Sharrouf for US strike". The Australian (www.theaustralian.com.au). News Corp. Retrieved 30 August 2017. (Subscription required (help)).
  20. ↑ Williams, Jacqueline (13 February 2017). "ISIS Fighter's Australian Citizenship Is Revoked Under Antiterror Laws". New York Times.
  21. ↑ Welch, Dylan; Dredge, Suzanne (16 August 2017). "Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf believed to have been killed in air strike". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  22. ↑ "Khaled Sharrouf, Australian Isis terrorist, killed in Syria – reports". The Guardian. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  23. ↑ "Tara Nettleton, widow of Australian Islamic State terrorist, dies in Syria". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  24. ↑ "Tara Nettleton, widow of Isis fighter Khaled Sharrouf, dies in Syria – reports". The Guardian. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
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