A video has surfaced of two alleged Los Angeles-area gang members--dubbed “Wino” and “Creeper”--fighting for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The video, published by the Middle East Media Research Institute, shows two men in what appears to be war-torn Syria.
The two men claim they’re on the “front lines” and fire their weapons at the “enemgios.” Creeper, as he identifies himself, said he is from the Sur-13 gang in LA. He shows his heavily tattooed arms to the camera, and he sends greetings to gang members Capone-E and Crazy Loco, reported the Washington Post. The Post notes that it’s impossible to verify if the two are in the country.
The other man claims his name is Wino, and he says he is with the Westside Armenian Power. The Armenian minority in Syria are known to be supporters of Assad.
“It’s Syria, homie, we’re in Syria, homie. ... Frontline, homie, frontline, homie,” Wino says in the video. Creeper adds: “In Middle East, homie, in Syria, still gangbanging.”
“Come, Ali [the photographer]. Check out the enemigos right there, homie. They’re all right there, dawg,” Creeper says.
“But we don’t give a [expletive], homie,” Wino responds.
“As you know, homie, inshallah [which is Arabic for ‘God willing’], homie, Capone, Mr. Criminal from Silverlake, Capone from Cyclones, and Crazy Loco from Pasadena, and Pink Lady … we still got love for you, girl. We still got love for all you homies, all the Surenos,” said Creeper.
The video also shows the two firing rifles.
The Middle East Media Research Institute identified Wino as Nerses Kilajyan, who has a Facebook page, and it adds that he’s in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria. Some photos on his Facebook show him fighting with members of Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which is said to have fighters in Syria.
Some of the photos on his Facebook show the other alleged gang member, Creeper. According to the Institute, the two have been in Syria for around a year.
The video of the two can be viewed here [warning: profanity].
