ISIS recruits left to ‘work in kitchens’ because not good enough to fight

Many Americans who joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq never saw combat and were given menial tasks such as cooking and cleaning, a study into recruits who join the group over the last six years.

The number of American nationals joining the group is far smaller than the number of Europeans, with an estimated 300 travelling from US, compared to 750 Britons and 900 French.

The study puts this down to a number of factors including fewer jihadi networks existing in the US.

There are also US federal powers which can prevent potential recruits from travelling.

Many of those who reached the Middle East struggled to integrate and became disillusioned with the cause, the report found.

The study by George Washington University said: “For many returnees, life in the jihadist-held territory did not live up to their expectations.

“Living conditions were much harsher than they saw in the online magazines and videos and the promises of camaraderie were rarely fulfilled.”

The study also noted none of the 22 jihadist attacks on American soil since 2011 had involved people returning from the Middle East.

The report added: “The risk of attacks from returning travellers is overshadowed by jihadists who never leave the US.”

But also noted was people returning would bring new contacts, skills, and status within jihadist movements.

The university study also found regulating online services had a “limited” effect in countering jihadist travel facilitation networks.

Experts said: “While ease of access to jihadist propaganda online was a factor in many cases analysed in this report, there is little evidence to suggest that this was the primary motivation for their travel.

“Even when travellers went online, they displayed an active understanding of how to circumvent existing censorship measures by using lesser-known social media platforms. 

“On these alternative platforms, propaganda, content, and facilitators remained easily (if not equally) accessible.”

However, online censorship isn’t the only hurdle – in December 2015, then-FBI director James Comey expressed his frustration that the bureau was unable to access 109 encrypted messages between Garland attacker Elton Simpson and an “overseas terrorist”.

The problem has reared its head in the UK too with politicians demanding encrypted messaging apps, like WhatsApp and Telegram, cooperate with authorities. 

The study also revealed most of the travellers were male, and the average age was 27. The majority of travellers that returned, 75 per cent, were arrested and charged.