- Adrian Harrison, 31, was arrested the moment he stepped off the plane
- He had spent three months volunteering along with the Peshmerga in Kurdistan
- Harrison was locked up, strip-searched and spent 5 months on bail
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A former soldier that crowd-funded a trip to fight Isis says he experienced 5 months of hell spine in the UK – after being arrested for suspected terrorism.
Armed police in Manchester swooped on Adrian Harrison, 31, the moment he stepped off the plane following three months volunteering along with the Peshmerga army in Kurdistan.
His trip – which was only made feasible after strangers donated £1,200 for the cost of his flights online – saw your man spend every night embroiled in a lengthy fire fight along with the enemy.
Former soldier Adrian Harrison (left, along with a fellow fighter in Kurdistan) that crowd-funded a trip to fight Isis says he experienced 5 months of hell spine in the UK – after being arrested for suspected terrorism
Armed police swooped on Harrison, 31, the moment he stepped off the plane following three months volunteering along with the Peshmerga army in Kurdistan
The father of three was portion of a small group of volunteers from across the globe dubbed the ‘Kurdistan foreign legion’ that would certainly act as bait to draw out the Isis fighters.
But the passionate supporter of the fight versus terrorists said being accused of being one themselves was the worst thing anyone could do to him.
He revealed that rather than returning a hero he was locked up, strip-searched and faced an anxious 5 months on bail while his house was likewise raided in front of his terrified family.
And after the counter-terrorism unit finally dropped the two charges, Harrison said he has actually been struggling to piece his life spine together.
He said: ‘It was a real kick in the teeth and to be believed of as a terrorist after every little thing I had gone through was incredibly downgrading.
Harrison and his fellow fighters pictured during his trip to Kurdistan to fight Isis
‘I went out along with the genuine belief I was doing the right thing – 99.9 per cent of us believe in the fight versus terrorism and I was placing myself at risk for a good cause.
‘Then for that to happen, I found fairly belittling.
‘I did not want anything like that. I had return to look after my family – yet I was put through 5 months of hell.
‘It took 5 months on bail to clear my name.
‘They raided my house and took every little thing out the estate while my partner and youngest kid had to wait in the spine garden for 5 hours as I joined a cell.
‘My passport was taken off me so I couldn’t job or travel abroad. I guess they had to prove I was working along with the Peshmerga and not fighting on the others side.
‘However it was a fairly traumatic experience for my family and it was surely an over-reaction.
‘They are definitely not telling me they did not know that I was or just what I was doing?’
Harrison left for Kurdistan in April last year and planned spending 6 months there However financial difficulties along with his family meant he came spine early.
Harrison was portion of a small group of volunteers from across the globe dubbed the ‘Kurdistan foreign legion’ that would certainly act as bait to draw out the Isis fighters
He said: ‘I got off the plane at Manchester Airport and could see two policeman armed along with MP5s.
‘I knew straight away they were there for me.
‘They arrested me under the terrorism act, put me in handcuffs and took me to the counter terrorism centre where I was strip-searched.
‘I expected that they might want to talk to me once I got spine However not at the level they did.
‘I was shocked and did not expect it. I was put in cells and they grilled me during three big interviews.
‘They asked me question after question for months.’
Despite his treatment, Harrison said he was desperate to return to Kurdistan to take up the fight versus Isis – and despite the frosty welcome house he had no regrets.
He said: ‘I knew I was not going out there to stop the war – However I massively believe in the fight versus terrorism. If I could make a difference then brilliant – otherwise at least I know I tried.
‘I believed there would certainly be hundreds of volunteers fighting Isis However once I got to the Peshmerga there were only 40 of us from all over the world.
‘It was something I had been thinking concerning for a while and I spoke along with others volunteers.
‘I required donations to fund my time out there so I could get hold of my kit and fly over.
‘However within a few days I was legally portion of the Peshmerga.’
Harrison had previously spent 10 years in the British army and toured Iraq and Afghanistan.
More recently he had been working all over the globe in security and returned to the UK last year.
But he said nothing in his past all set your man for the shock of his arrival and time in Kurdistan.
He said: ‘I was there concerning two and a half months and every night we would certainly go onto the front line.
‘We would certainly normally be used to give ambushes. We would certainly go and hammer rounds down on Isis so they would certainly fire back.
‘We were using ourselves as bait to draw out Isis.
‘We went through a lot – most of the fights along with Isis were only concerning 300 metres away However we mostly had Isis pinned down.
‘Our book was simply prior to very first light we would certainly pin them down and then extract from front line and go spine to our base.
‘I was used to modern day warfare in the British Army However this really was globe War One tactics.
Harrison said: ‘The Peshmerga called us the Kurdistan foreign legion. There were seven of us – three Brits – a Canadian, two yanks and a lad from Korea’
‘There was a massive front line that was several miles long.
‘We stayed in an eight-man compound and lived off simply two bowls of rice a day.
‘We would certainly go out and fight all night every night.
‘The Peshmerga called us the Kurdistan foreign legion. There were seven of us – three Brits – a Canadian, two yanks and a lad from Korea.’
Harrison, that lives in Manchester, said that despite his family’s protestations he was hoping to return to action now he has actually had his passport returned.
He said: ‘If I Can easily raise enough money to fund myself without donations from the public I will certainly surely go spine again.
‘My partner was not happy at all once I said I would certainly be going However she understands why I wanted to do it and that I am a massive believer in the fight versus terrorism.
Harrison, that lives in Manchester, said that despite his family’s protestations he was hoping to return to action now he has actually had his passport returned
‘I am simply relieved I have actually had a phone call to say they have actually dropped all charges so I am able to speak concerning it.
‘I was always very confident that would certainly be the outcome as I knew I had done nothing wrong and believed they would certainly see that.
‘However it was still fairly worrying thinking they might charge me along with being a terrorist as it is a fairly serious thing to be accused of.’
The house Office said it did not comment on specific cases.
But in response to questions raised concerning Harrison’s treatment, Security Minister John Hayes issued a warning to anyone from the UK travelling to conflict zones.
He said: ‘The UK advises versus all travel to conflict zones. Anyone that does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is placing themselves in significant danger.
‘The very best means to guidance the people of these countries is to donate to registered charities that have actually ongoing relief operations, not by taking portion in a conflict overseas, which Can easily be an offence under both criminal and terror laws.’
Harrison had previously spent 10 years in the British army and toured Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s pictured here, left and right, in Kurdistan
from Golden Land Travel http://ift.tt/1PjlGAr
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