IS brainwashed our sons: grief stricken Sydney parents

The parents of four western Sydney brothers feared to have joined self proclaimed Islamic State in Syria believe they have lost their boys to the terrorist group.

Bassima and Issam El Baf made a public plea to anyone with information on their sons to contact authorities.

Bassima and Issam El Baf made a public plea to anyone with information on their sons to contact authorities.

Bassima and Issam El Baf said goodbye to their four sons last month after they told their parents they were going on a holiday to Thailand.

The only communication they've had since then is a haunting message received by their daughter several days later saying: 'We made it to Bilad al-Sham, we will see you in paradise'.

They say if they knew their sons - Omar, 28, Bilal, 25, Hamza, 23, and 17-year-old Taha - were going to Syria they would never have driven them to the airport.
“My sons couldn’t fight flies… I know my kids they are very obedient. I think they were brainwashed."
Mr El Baf said there was nothing to make him or his wife think their sons would travel to Syria.

"They have been brought up fairly highly educated, went to a good school," he said on Wednesday.

"They are very good kids. They never play in the street ... they were always home with us."

Mr El Baf said the youngest boy, Taha, was a talented rugby league player, but “couldn’t tell” what happened to his sons.

“My sons couldn’t fight flies… I know my kids they are very obedient. I think they were brainwashed."

Taha was studying at Birrong Boys High School before he vanished. One of his brothers worked for the government roads department while the others also had stable jobs.

Mr El Baf said he noticed his son Bilal talking to a man outside their family home in the weeks before he left.

He said he couldn't tell what they were doing and the man would come once every fortnight or each week.

Mr El Baf said Bilal had been friends with the mysterious man for a few weeks.

One of the brothers worked for the government roads department while the others also had stable jobs.

Ms El Baf could barely speak through her tears as she pleaded with her boys to come home.

"They are my babies, still my babies," she said.

"We appeal to our sons to recognise the damage that they have done to us and we want them to know that we love them and continue to love them and we want them back as soon as possible," Ms and Mr El Baf said in a statement.

Family friend and Muslim community leader Dr Jamal Rifi has helped the family since the boys disappeared.

Authorities tracked the sons down in Turkey after family alerted them last week, but it is believed they have since crossed the Syrian border.

Unlike some before them, the siblings had not been on any watch-lists that would have alerted immigration controls.

The parents are requesting anyone with information to contact authorities.
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