Father of Syrian fighters: Govt is criminalising our sons
The father of a young Briton killed in the war in Syria has urged the government to rethink its approach to fighters wanting to return to the UK.
In a direct message to Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May, Abubaker Deghayes said: "The strategy you are using with our sons does not work. You are criminalising them just out of the fear they might become a threat to this country.
"Do not push them to be radicalised, used by groups like Isis who are out for revenge and thirst for blood."
ITV News' Martha Fairlie reports:
Mr Deghayes' 17-year-old son Jaffar is believed to have died at the weekend after leaving home near Brighton earlier this year to fight the Assad regime.
His brother, Abdullah, 18, died in Latakia province in April after leaving the UK in January to reportedly take up arms with Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaida-affiliated group.
Yesterday the pair's brother, Amer, 20, who also travelled to Syria, gave news of Jaffar's death to their father who lives in Saltdean in East Sussex.
In footage shown on Sky News, Mr Deghayes said: "I cried my eyes yesterday and I really hope and pray to God that Amer is safe and returns home safe to his homeland, Brighton, where he lived all his life.
"My message is still the same - all young Muslims...who think to go to Syria out of kindness, out of trying to make a difference, do not go."
The Deghayes brothers are the nephew of Omar Deghayes, who was held by the United States as an enemy combatant at Guantanamo Bay detention camp between 2002 and 2007 after he was arrested in Pakistan.