The man who recruits French fighters to Syria
- 10 years ago
The United Nations says the fighting in Syria and Iraq is attracting foreigners on an unprecedented scale. Most of the recruiting is now being done by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The US Central Intelligence Agency says there could be anywhere between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters in Iraq and Syria; as many as a half of them are foreigners. They went to Iraq and Syria from over 80 countries in North America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Europe. France is among the countries from where many fighters have travelled. French authorities say that Omar al-Diaby - better known as Omar Omsen - is the number-one recruiter of French fighters. This report by Zeina Khodr includes an exclusive Al Jazeera interview with Omsen.