A 32-year-old IT consultant from the UK, Isa Giga, shocked his family by secretly leaving his job and flying to Syria via Turkey to join terrorist groups in the midst of a civil war. Giga informed his family that he was going to Birmingham but instead embarked on his journey to Syria with the intention of becoming a martyr for the Jaysh al Fath extremist organizations.
In 2015, Giga abruptly resigned from his job at a technology company, ANS, after just five months and flew from Heathrow to Turkey, where he crossed into Syria and began his mission. Despite his family’s attempts to contact him, Giga remained resolute in his decision, stating that he was fighting against the Assad regime and ISIS to protect his fellow Muslims.
Giga revealed in emails to his family that he had been planning his move for a year and was driven by his religious beliefs, denying any external influence. He expressed his readiness to engage in military activities and aimed to achieve martyrdom while combating ISIS or the Assad regime.
His family’s distress was evident in their messages, expressing shock and disappointment at Giga’s actions and appealing for his return. Despite his father’s efforts to reach out to him in Turkey, Giga remained steadfast in his resolve to stay in Syria, citing the proximity to what he believed to be paradise amidst the ongoing conflict.
Subsequently, Giga was sentenced to nine years in prison with an additional one-year extended license for his involvement in preparing terrorist acts. Although he denied the charges, claiming his trip to Syria was for religious studies, he was convicted and will be monitored as a terrorist offender for 15 years.