Robin Hood Complex: "Fighting the wars of others"

Much has been written about the thousands of young people from Europe and around the world who have joined the Jihad of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East. Far less has been heard of the hundreds who have set out to fight against the IS (mostly with the Kurds). Emile Ghessen has been accompanying them with the camera for years. His documentary "Robin Hood Complex" will be presented in London on December 11, 2017. We spoke with Emile about the work on the film and his experiences.

SPARTANAT: Emile, your self-made documentary "Robin Hood Complex" will premiere in London on December 11. What is the story behind "Robin Hood Complex"?

Emile Ghessen: I served twelve years in the British Royal Marines and my father is from Syria. When the IS spread in the Middle East, I was concerned about the safety of my family. In the news, there were reports of men and women from the West joining ISIS, but I met a man who went to Iraq and Syria as a volunteer fighter against the IS. At that time, I was working in the security industry. I decided to put down my weapon and pick up the camera to follow this volunteer and ultimately to better understand what drives a man to fight the war of others.

SPARTANAT: You were a soldier yourself, you went to Syria and Iraq as a journalist. Are you Robin Hood as a journalist?

Emile Ghessen: The story of Robin Hood tells that Robin is a person who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Breaking it down: although he tries to do good, he is a criminal because his actions, while perhaps noble, are still criminal.

I wouldn't say I'm a Robin Hood character, but there's little doubt that the volunteers are. Fighting the most feared terrorists in the world is noble of them, but one can argue whether what they are doing is right.

“These volunteers are all unpaid. They have their own reasons for traveling to the Middle East to fight there.”

SPARTANAT: Not many people have seen the volunteers in Iraq - we at SPARTANAT were able to meet with a group near Kirkuk in 2015 as the first Western journalists: HERE the report from Iraq. How many are there actually? What are they fighting for and which troops have they joined?

Emile Ghessen: These volunteers are all unpaid. They have their own reasons for traveling to the Middle East to fight there. They join the Kurdish forces either in Iraq, the Peshmerga, or the YPG (People's Protection Units) in Syria. They contact these groups via Facebook and send them information about who they are and why they want to fight. If these groups accept them, they receive details on how to travel and a contact they must meet when they arrive.

It is very secretive for obvious reasons. Since 2014, around 300 men and women have traveled to the Kurdish forces. There are about 40 in the region who work with other local forces. If they join either the YPG or the Peshmerga, they become one of them.

SPARTANAT: What types of volunteers have you found on site? Not everyone is Robin Hood...

Emile Ghessen: When I ask a volunteer on site why he is fighting against ISIS, I am told that it is about humanity. This is the standard answer when asked. The more men I met, the better I could understand their true motives as volunteers. Over the past three years, I have come to know these men very well and there are, I think, different reasons why most come to fight.

On the one hand, there are former military personnel who never actively fought in the military. So they use this war to prove themselves. Then there are lonely men - generally former military personnel who miss the camaraderie they experienced in the military or who are unemployed, sometimes suffering from PTSD. They see their deployment as an opportunity to be part of a group again.

Then there is the volunteer hungry for fame. These are men who want to become famous because they will then appear on television or on the radio, or they want to write a book. They want to prove to others that they are someone. The adventure volunteer - these are the men who traveled to the region for an adventure. They don't really care about the cause, they just want the thrill of doing something different. These men usually don't stay there for long.

Ultimately: the political volunteer - these men are dissatisfied with the political situation in their country and feel that their governments are not doing their part in the war against ISIS, so they take up arms themselves.

SPARTANAT: How did you finance the project? How were you able to work on the film for so long?

Emile Ghessen: I funded the whole project myself and traveled back and forth five times. When the attack on Mosul was announced, I set up a Gofundme account on Facebook and managed to get the money for my first flights. In addition, I had to raise money by working regular jobs when I was back home to have enough money to return to the Middle East. ... Or to be able to use credit cards. Let me put it this way: I have massive debts from this project, but it was about passion and love.

When I'm out there, I travel alone, unarmed, and lightly equipped. I carry a sleeping bag, attach myself to local groups, and live with them. I eat their food to be part of them, also to keep my costs low. Furthermore, I find that this is the best way to build trust.

SPARTANAT: The Islamic State will disappear from the map. How do you think the story will continue?

Emile Ghessen: The Islamic State will be militarily defeated on the battlefield. As an ideology, they are not defeated. The ISIS fighters will retreat into the shadows and regroup to continue fighting later. We do not know how successful the international volunteer movement has been in destroying ISIS, but there is no doubt that every man has contributed his part in this war. Terrorism has largely failed, but while we see the IS defeated in Iraq and Syria, there could be an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe and the USA.

SPARTANAT: How do you feel now that "Robin Hood Complex" is finished and going out into the world?

Emile Ghessen: This project has taken a long time. I am glad that it is finally over and I can see the world again. I think the story of these volunteers is an important one. It is interesting to understand their motives, why men travel to a region to take up arms in someone else's war. I am satisfied with my documentary, which shows the true lives of these men.

The PRESENTATION of "Robin Hood Complex" will take place on December 11 at 18:30 in London (see above). HERE is the event page.The whole film can also be watched online on VIMEO starting December 18, 2017. HERE is the film.