An Australian doctor has appeared in a propaganda video for Islamic State, spruiking its health services and urging other Muslim health professionals to join him.
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The video, published on Friday and circulated by IS-linked social media accounts, shows a man calling himself Abu Yusuf explain that he travelled from Australia to the IS stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, to use his medical skills to help others.
Fairfax Media has confirmed the man is Tareq Kamleh, a registered doctor who is believed to have worked up until recently in the health system in Perth.
"I saw this as part of my jihad for Islam, to help the muslims ummah (community) in the area that I could, which is the medical field," Dr Kamleh says in an Australian accent.
Dr Kamleh says being in IS-controlled territory made him "very happy".
"I wished that I'd come a lot sooner."
Dr Stephen Napoli, co-owner of the Mannum Medical Centre in South Australia, recognised the man in the video as Dr Kamleh, who was an intern at his practice for 10 weeks in 2010.
"As a doctor he worked quite well; he was quite intelligent, he presented to our practice as quite a sound doctor with good medical knowledge," Dr Napoli said.
"There was no indication I'd be worried about his other associations when he was with us.
"There was nothing that I saw of his work as a medical practical that would suggest he would have any of these sorts of views."
Mr Kamleh started as a pediatric registrar at the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital in February 2011, where he worked until the end of his contract in January 2013.
A Women's and Children's Hospital spokesman said Dr Kamleh then moved to Mackay Base Hospital in Queensland in 2013.
It is believed he worked in the health system in Perth up until late 2014.
His medical registration lists Subiaco as his principal place of practice.
One of Dr Kamleh's former colleagues at an Adelaide hospital, who asked not to be named, said he recognised also Dr Kamleh in the footage immediately.
"I was taken aback as much because I certainly wouldn't have associated him with an association like IS. His principle seemed to be sound and focused on the care of his patients," he said.
The colleague said Dr Kamleh's behaviour when they worked together around 2012 and 2013 included drinking alcohol after work and other behaviour inconsistent with Islamic State values.
"I know he dated a few nurses and other doctors over the years… he was heterosexual and certainly interested in the ladies, with some success."
A friend of Dr Kamleh, who asked to not be identified, also confirmed it was the young doctor in the video.
The slick, 15-minute video promotes the Islamic State Health Service, which includes emergency, physiotherapy and dialysis services and has a logo similar to Britain's National Health System.
