American Woman Killed in Syria Fighting for Terrorists, Syrian TV Claims (Video)
Warning Graphic Images. Viewer Discretion Advised!
Associated Press reports that a 33-year-old Michigan woman, Nicole Lynn Mansfield, was killed in Syria while fighting alongside the opposition forces, the FBI confirmed Thursday.
According to her family’s statement to Detroit free Press, Mansfield was raised as a Baptist in Flint Michigan and converted to Islam after meeting an Arab immigrant and married several years ago, but later divorced him.
Syrian media outlet broadcasted the incident (see video) as breaking news on its website and claimed Mansfield was a terrorist who was fighting together with two other people, one from England. All three reported to be shot dead in a confrontation in the town of Idbil. The news agency said they had weapons and maps of military positions in their possession.
Mansfield’s grandmother, Carole Mansfield told the DFP reporters that the young woman had a heart of gold but was easily influenced by others. “I think she could have been brain washed. She told people that the best way of life was to be a Muslim. And that women should wear scarves … women should always cover their head,” she added.
President of the Flint-based United for a free Syria, Muna Jondy said she hadn’t heard of Mansfield before. She also cautioned about authenticity of the Syrian television report because the station is linked to the Bashar Assad government, and the reports could be false propaganda.
Video credit: Syria News Channel
Publisher/Managing Editor: Progressive Press. Contributing Editor: WVoN-Women's Views on News. Columnist: Palm Beach Woman Magazine. Former executive producer and radio host: WVR -Women's Voice Radio, Human Rights/Peace Activist, Aspiring Author/ Journalist/ Poet/ Blogger. Emine also appears as a revolving guest on PNN radio show -international political analyst-, and had been a guest on Liberal Fix and Brian Hammer Jackson Show. Her articles have been published in various publications such as The Vibe UK, The New Agenda, W.E.A Women @ Work, Amazing Women Rock and ICAHK.
Hope she gets her 15 minutes of fame or she actually had some values for being there!
Warning Graphic Images. Viewer Discretion Advised! Associated Press reports that a 33-year-old Michigan woman,… http://t.co/DqBWQtrcdy
Alex, read the title again! It says “Syrian TV Claims” and it will help you to read the article…It is in English.
Obviously I’ve got some programming to work on!
lol, you know Assad’s government calls the opposition “terrorists”…and some of them do have links to Al-Nussra which is associated with Al-Qaida, so it is not entirely false, but we really don’t know why this woman was there. I will update the story as we get more info.
Nancy, I am not disputing your claims. I merely would like to know what the “values” you were referring to are. Thanks.
Good points, Progressive. Press.
My point, which was poorly stated from the beginning because I forget to check my emotions in the morning, was that Terrorist is such a broadly used slander term easily applicable to any country or fighting unit which has caused fear in the hearts of others. It is also the most effective term for dividing and conquering. Simple duality, if we see “terrorist” instead of human being, how can we effectively develop empathy for them and attempt to see the roots of the issue instead of the symptoms?
I agree Alex, that is why the Syrian government use the term as well. I don’t agree with armed conflict, frankly it never solves anything and creates more hate and resentment, but I agree that we need to see these people as human beings and try to find other ways to relate and resolve our differences. I hope there will be an end to this bloody civil war through peace negotiations.
I feel there will only be lasting peaceful resolutions to all wars when we begin to address root issues: access to food, shelter, equality and true freedom of movement to go anywhere we want to go.
I fear that we Americans will continually be involved in perpetual wars until we openly discuss the real reasons our politicians support them. Have any of you read former Army officer, Andrew Bacevich’s books. You should.
Howard Zinn!