ISIS is calling on its supporters to find and kill Jitse Akse, a former Dutch Special Forces veteran who had traveled to Syria to fight alongside Kurdish rebels against the terror group.
Dutch media Algemeen Dagblad reported that ISIS is offering a reward on Twitter for his death.
Akse was arrested at gunpoint by Dutch authorities last month and questioned over his involvement in the killing of ISIS fighters in Syria. After his release authorities confiscated his passport so that he could not travel back to Syria.
He is currently hiding at an undisclosed location in The Netherlands. Algemeen Dagblad reported that other veterans are providing security for him. Akse previously served with an elite force in the Dutch army, specialized in rapid air deployment.
He traveled to Syria last year by himself after seeing reports that Kurdish rebels were losing ground to ISIS fighters in the Syrian-Turkish border town of Kobani. He connected with the Kurdish resistance through Facebook.
In several interviews with media he spoke openly about joining Kurdish fighters, and operating as a sniper, killing ISIS fighters from a water tower. He spoke openly about his efforts on his Facebook page, and had indicated he was planning on returning to Syria to continue his fight for the cause.
However, that never happened, as he was arrested on Jan. 13 by Dutch authorities, who have not yet decided whether he will face prosecution for his involvement in the killing of ISIS terrorists. Under Dutch law, unauthorized use of force by its citizens, at home or abroad, is only justified in rare cases of self-defense. Though The Netherlands is providing military support for a U.S. led coalition against ISIS, when it comes to its civilians, it’s a different matter.
“A Dutch citizen is not allowed to go join a war on his own initiative, and commit crimes there,” public prosecutor Jirko Patist told regional TV channel Omroep Gelderland at the time.
Akse’s arrest sparked a public outrage in The Netherlands, with many calling on authorities to reward him for his efforts instead of filing charges against him.
