An Oxford man dubbed ‘Jihadi Jack’ has been charged with being a member of Islamic State.
Jack Letts, 21, has been charged after travelling to Syria in 2014, Kurdish officials have said.
After arriving in Syria, Mr Letts was captured by the Kurdish YPG after leaving Islamic State territory.
Officials from the country’s Kurdish region told the BBC Mr Letts was captured in May this year.
Jack Letts, who became known as Jihadi Jack after travelling to Syria in 2014, has been charged with being a member of Islamic State
The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (DFNS) said Mr Letts is in prison in Qamishli, Rojava, northern Syria.
The self-declared autonomous region said the case is being investigated by its local police force, the Asayish.
Mr Letts converted to Islam while attending Cherwell comprehensive school in Oxford and travelled to Jordan when he was 18 after dropping out of A-levels.
He entered Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria in autumn 2014 before marrying in Iraw and fathering a child.
A petition was started by his parents, who deny he went to Syria to fight with the terrorist group and claimed their son had ‘disappeared in a Guantanamo-style black site’.
The European representative of DFNS Sinam Mohamed disputed this, telling the BBC the region respects human rights and was treating Mr Letts in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
‘We refute all these baseless allegations,’ she said.
‘The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria’s policy with regard to prisoners of war is clear and fair.
‘ISIS brought inexplicable levels of terror on the peoples of Northern Syria/Rojava…
‘Despite this fact, the DFNS is not less committed than European countries to treating the fighters from this terror group according to international human rights standards.”
Sally Lane and John Letts went on hunger strike in protest at what they see as the government’s lack of help for their son
John Letts and Sally Lane went on a week-long hunger strike in protest at the alleged lack of action by the British government to help their son.
They said that they have had no confirmation of whether he is still alive since July.
But Ms Mohamad’s statement gives shed light on a possible handover of Canadian passport holder Mr Letts to British authorities.
It said Kurdish officials are willing to hand over prisoners of war to their home country after a proper investigation.
‘Jack Letts is currently under investigation by local and global anti-terror units,’ it said.
Supporters of John Letts and Sally Lane outside the Old Bailey as the couple face charges of funding terrorism
‘Once the investigation is concluded, the outcome will be communicated to Jack’s parents, and their legal representatives and to the officials of relevant governments.
‘Therefore, we ask the parents of Jack Letts and their legal representative to ask the UK and Canadian governments to officially request the handover of Jack Letts from the officials of the DFNS so that the handover can proceed officially.
‘However, so far there has been no official request from neither Canadian or British governments.’
Rory Stewart, minister for international development said this week that people who have travelled to fight in Syria are ‘a serious danger to us’ and should die.
‘I’m afraid we have to be serious about the fact these people are a serious danger to us, and unfortunately the only way of dealing with them will be, in almost every case, to kill them,’ he said.
Rory Stewart says the country has to kill people who have gone to fight for Islamic State in Syria
Security minister Ben Wallace said previously that the government would prefer suspected Islamic State – also known as Daesh – fighters are returned to the UK to face prosecution.
‘We have planned and prepared for the risk posed by British returnees as Daesh (IS) is defeated,’ he said.
‘Our ultimate aim is to prosecute, but it’s not straightforward.’
John Letts and Sally Lane pleaded not guilty to funding terrorism after they were accused of sending money to their son.
Their solicitor said they declined to comment.
The Foreign Office said: ‘The government is unable to provide support to British nationals in Syria as the UK government does not have consular representation there.’