Ubaydullah Hussain: – The prosecutor tried to incriminate me – Dagbladet.no

(Dagbladet): – Do you feel that the prosecutor was trying to incriminate you during the interrogation?

– Of course. He tried to tie a closer relationship between me and the accused than it really is. In addition, he tried enough to get me to say that I influenced him to go to Syria, which is not the case at all, says Ubaydullah Hussain told Dagbladet.

Underpinning the defendant’s statement

The Islamist and spokesman for the Prophet’s ummah was today summoned as a witness in the case against 24-year-old from Fredrikstad accused of so-called terror alliance after he stayed in Syria between autumn 2013 and early in 2014. Prosecutors and Police Security Service (PST) thinks he let himself enlist to military service in the Islamic state (IS) and al-Qaeda-allied Al-Nusret front.

Even denies Fredrikstad man guilt as charged. Yesterday he testified that he went to Syria to conduct humanitarian work, disgusted by the atrocities of President Bashar al-Assad’s government forces. That explanation is supported by Hussain diplomas.

– I sincerely believe that he was involved in humanitarian work; there are indications we have received from him and other situated in the area, says the Prophet Ummah spokesman – who yesterday was acquitted of terrorist incitement, but convicted of threats, the Court of Appeal.

– Not applicable

Several times during Prosecutor Geir Evanger interrogation there were several questions Hussain initially did not want to answer – but eventually had to give an answer anyway.

Evanger: – What kind of attitude do you have to warfare?

Hussain: – It is not relevant.

Evanger: – You know you have a duty to respond?

Hussain: – Muslims have the right to defend itself although, as in Afghanistan, the Norwegian military. Listen, there are Norwegians who go and refer to the Israeli army and the Kurdish peshmergaen – which has been on the US terror list – without being charged.

– Poor knowledge

Under the Fredrikstad man explanation yesterday it emerged that he pictures posing with weapons, and bar uniform, even though he says he went to do humanitarian work. Hussain downplaying it, and believes prosecutors have poor knowledge about the situation in Syria.

– At some posing with guns, does not necessarily mean that they are doing something militarily. In my village in Pakistan have all families at least three to four weapons, he said.

Hussain confirmed that he and the Fredrikstad man had contact, but that they were largely confined to practical questions around charity work for war victims in Syria, as shakers carrying. He further explained that 24-year-old has never been any part of the Prophet’s ummah, because he has a different view of political Islam than the group.

– We are particularly disagree Caliphate (Islamic state). He has never attended our meetings, gatherings or teaching. During the demonstration against the American embassy (autumn 2012), he chose to attend the Islamic Council demonstration in Youngstorget instead of ours, says Hussain.

Asked about managing

In spite of the controversy asked Hussain Fredrikstad -The man at one point whether he would manage the Prophet’s Ummah Facebook page.

– Why did you do that if he was so peripheral to the environment?

– To ask if he wanted to contribute if he wanted to get into our Group and contribute actively. But that he did not, and I respect, says Hussain told Dagbladet.

– Are you recruiting peripheral Muslims Prophet Ummah?

– No, it’s not recruitment. But trying to determine whether one agrees or disagree on political Islam, and if you agree, you can work together. In this case, we do not agree, and when we work together not. But we still have respect for each other.

Imprisoned father testified

Also defendant’s father testified in court today. The 45-year-old man was last week jailed, charged with having joined IS in Syria, and sitting at the moment in full isolation. Therefore prosecutors that testimony should take place behind closed doors, but after a long discussion came the district court that it was not necessary.

14-time father was brought into the prison officers, and exchanged a smile with her son in the dock . He explained the court that he had no idea his son plans to go to Syria – and reported him missing to the police when he could no longer get in touch.

– Suddenly he was gone. When I tried to call, I came to a Turkish answer. When I finally got hold of him, he told me he had gone to help the Syrian people through the Red Crescent (Red Cross’ sister organization in Muslim countries), told 45-year-old.

In police interrogations, the father explained his son ever had contact with Ubaydullah Hussain, and that he was afraid Prophet Ummah spokesman would brainwash him. In court today he had difficulty remembering these details.

Shots Damage

– Were you quiet while he was away? asked prosecutor Evanger.

– No parents are calm while his son is in Syria, said the father.

7. February last year came his son back home to Norway, with gunshot injuries. Beforehand, he had called his father.

– He called and said he was shot in the leg, and that we had to come down and pick him up, says 45-year-old.

He explained that he was reunited with his son on a border crossing between Syria and Turkey, and that after questioning by Turkish police were deported to Norway – where PST expected.

The son has served in custody in a six months after he was arrested in December. The case is scheduled to last for a week or.