The Islamic State (Isis) militant group reportedly is using passports stolen from unsuspecting Westerners to assist its jihadi supporters to travel to Syria and Iraq.
According to a report by Dubai based Al Aan TV, several passports found in an Isis safehouse following a raid by a local Syrian armed rebel group, belonged to 'innocent' Westerners from the United States, the United Kingdom and France, apart from those belonging to Israel, with no ties to Isis.
The investigative report found that these passports were stolen and were later used by the Isis supporters to travel to Syria.
Jenan Moussa, a correspondent with Al Aan TV noted that she was able to get copies of 34 passports issued by various countries.
Six of the passports were Albanian, four were French, two each were of Holland, Germany, Sweden, Poland and Denmark; and one each of the US, the UK, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Israel, Finland and the Czech Republic.
Moussa, who contacted an American national and a French citizen found that both the passports were stolen in France. An Illinois resident, claimed that she along with her husband was visiting Paris, when their passports were stolen. A French national, whose passport too was stolen, was baffled and alarmed by the report, and immediately called up the local police to inform about the theft.
The Al Aan TV report, explaining the modus operandi of the group, noted that the Isis supporters were targeting people who bore resemblance to a certain jihadi, eager to travel to Syria. For the purpose, the group may even be using 'criminals,' the report noted.
The report noted that using somebody else's passport to travel would ensure anonymity and cover to an Isis jihadi, who could be on a terror watch.
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