An old friend of an Aberdeen man who turned to terrorism last night said his “chances of survival are minimal” in the Middle East.
The 34-year-old Bangladeshi-born man – who did not wish to be named – went to the same mosque as Abdul Raqib Amin, and knew him through the city’s close-knit Bangladeshi community.
Abdul Raqib Amin – a former Sunnybank Primary and St Machar Academy pupil – was seen earlier this week in a terrorist recruitment video for militant islamist group Isis.
Mr Amin – said to be in his 20s – is believed to have been born in the town of Molobi-bazar, in the region of Sylhet, Bangladesh.
His family moved to the Froghall area of Aberdeen when he was a youngster.
The family are said to have since moved to Leicester several years ago, while his father is thought to have returned to Molobi-bazar.
Last night the source – who worshipped at the Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre in the Spital area with him – said there was “no way anyone can come back” from a terror group such as Isis.
Mr Amin is believed to have been filmed in Syria, where Isis is said to have 10,000 fighters across the country and Iraq.
He said: “The Bangladeshi community in Aberdeen is so small, everyone knows everyone. Mr Amin’s family was here in Aberdeen when I was about 10.”
He added that Mr Amin was a “centre of attention-type” and that he “never took any nonsense from anyone.”
He said: “He was really like any youngster his own age. Just your average sort of guy. I don’t know what it was that triggered him off.”
He added that the last time he saw Mr Amin was more than two years ago on Union Street and that he had “changed completely” from being mildly religious whilst living in Aberdeen.
He said: “One thing I noticed about him was he turned a lot more humble, his way of speaking was a lot softer. There was a significant change in his personality.
“I was quite surprised to see him, he was wearing one of the big long, Arabic dresses you get and had a full-grown beard.
“I remember spotting him, he was just smiling and so happy and like he found some happiness somewhere.
“And when I heard about all this in the newspapers I was shocked.”
He added that the Moslem community of Aberdeen “were scared about the reach” of Isis, and that Mr Amin must have come “face-to-face” with recruiters somewhere in the UK.