US officials confirm that an American believed to be fighting with extremists in Syria has been killed, reportedly by the Free Syrian Army.
Thirty-three year old McCain was apparently killed while fighting as an Islamic State militant in Syria. A photo of his passport was posted on Twitter, as was an image of a body with a distinctive tattoo on the neck.
“We were aware of US citizen Douglas McAuthur McCain’s presence in Syria and can confirm his death” said US National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden in a statement.
His cousin Kenyata McCain told US television channel NBC: “My cousin was not a terrorist – this is the first that I’ve heard that he was connected to the jihadis”.
However his uncle Ken McCain told CNN that his nephew, who had converted to Islam from Christianity several years ago, had travelled to Syria via Turkey to fight as a jihadi.
On 8 June, tweeting under the name Duale Khalid, McCain posted a message saying: “It’s funny to me how all these so call Muslim claim that they love Allah but always curse the one who try to implement his laws.”
Two days later IS militants swept through northern Iraq, capturing the town of Mosul and prompting the then-Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to declare a state of emergency.
It’s funny to me how all these so call Muslim claim that they love Allah but always curse the one who try to implement his laws
— Duale Khalid (@iamthetooth) June 8, 2014
I reverted to Islam 10 years ago and I must say In sha Allah I will never look back the best thing that ever happen to me
— Duale Khalid (@iamthetooth) May 15, 2014
McCain was born in Chicago, but moved to the Minneapolis suburb of New Hope where he completed his high school education in 1999. He later had at least two run-ins with the law, being arrested in 2000, aged 19, on charges of disorderly conduct and in 2006 on charges of obstruction. NBC reported that he was convicted on both charges.
Some three to four years ago McCain, now a rapper, travelled to Sweden where he made friends and played basketball.
Kevin Tornstrom Kohlin told NBC he remembered McCain’s skills on the basketball court: “He was like a really nice guy. He smiles a lot and brings a lot of good energy”.
He added: “We would talk just a little bit about religion. He respected my Christianity.”