He fought with the RAF. Then he converted to Islam. Now he has been arrested on suspicion of jihad terror activity. Mustafa Gray “converted to Islam after becoming disillusioned with Britain’s conduct during the Iraq War….He claims he saw British and American forces abuse Iraqi prisoners.” So he saw his conversion as a way to switch sides and register his anger with Britain. Yet as far as the British officials he meant to indict are concerned, there is no difference between Islamic values and British ones. For them, Gray’s action is completely incoherent and incomprehensible. No wonder they have no comment.
“RAF Iraq veteran arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences,” by Ben Farmer, the Telegraph, November 28, 2014:
A former RAF Iraq veteran who converted to Islam has been arrested on suspicion of overseas terrorism offences in dawn raids by police officers on Friday morning.Stephen Gray was detained by counter terrorism officers “on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.
Mr Gray, who also uses the name Mustafa, was held with two other men in Manchester as part of an investigation police said “centres on activity overseas”, rather than a domestic terror plot.
the 31-year-old, who served in the RAF Regiment a decade ago, had his passport confiscated earlier this year after officials judged he was “involved in Islamist extremist activity”. Officials warned he was “likely to travel overseas in the future in order to engage in terrorism related activity”.
Mr Gray confirmed to the Telegraph that he had been arrested from his home in Old Trafford at 7.30am.
Mr Gray said he served as a senior aircraftman in No 2 Squadron of the RAF Regiment, but left the Armed Forces in 2004 and converted to Islam after becoming disillusioned with Britain’s conduct during the Iraq War. He was stationed at Baghdad Airport soon after the 2003 invasion.
He claims he saw British and American forces abuse Iraqi prisoners at the airport, which was used as a base by allied special forces hunting insurgents and the remnants of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The MoD declined to comment on him or his accusations.
He has since worked in a variety of jobs including as a bricklayer and call centre worker and says he has travelled widely as a tourist in the Middle East. He was questioned at Manchester Airport and had his passport seized this summer after returning from Bulgaria. Police also confiscated £1,000 he was carrying, he said.
At the time he said he was not involved in any terrorism and was being persecuted because he was a Muslim. He said he was travelling to make a series of internet videos to illustrate the difficulties Muslims had being stopped at international borders.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the arrest had been made following an investigation by the North West Counter Terrorism Unit. He said officers had arrested a 31-year-old, a 50-year-old and a 21-year-old.
The men were “arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” and remain in police custody…
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