British jihadist Abdul Raqib Amin did impressions of Ali G when he got into trouble with teachers at school – asking them: “Is it cos I is black?”
The schoolboy had a “cheeky attitude” towards staff and would show off to get attention from girls, according to former classmates.
He also annoyed team-mates on the rugby field, putting in dangerous ‘clothesline’ tackles and playing as though “he had a screw loose”.
And his slide into becoming an Islamic militant is mirrored in a few short status updates on what is believed to be his Facebook page.
In November 2012 he wrote: “Truly loving the Prophet Muhammed (p.b.u.h) could only be demonstrated by following His teachings, not by singing His praises.” [pbuh is believed to stand for peace be upon him].”
That post received 10 ‘likes’ and one comment.
On April 20, a post declaring “Muhammad is the messages of Allah and those who are with him are SEVERE AGAINST THE DISBELIEVES AND MERCIFUL AMONG THEMSELVES (48.29)” [all sic] attracted just four ‘likes’.
And on Wednesday he added a photograph of a mysterious tapestry hanging in a darkened room.
The page was confirmed as belonging to the fun-loving schoolboy turned jihadi by a former childhood pal who remains friends with him on Facebook.
Raqib, believed to be 24 or 25, became the third Briton to be identified in a terrifying recruitment video posted by the Islamist group.
In it he says that “the cure for depression is jihad” and called on Muslims to join him in holy war.
Raqib moved to Aberdeen from Bangladesh as a child and attended St Machar Academy and Sunnybank Primary school.
During his time in Aberdeen he played rugby with the under-8s Aberdeenshire Rugby Football Club [ARFC], between 2006 and 2007, as a centre back.
One former ARFC team-mate, who was also in his year at St Machar, said yesterday (Thur): “Whenever he used to get in trouble from a teacher at school he would say “Is it ‘cos I is black?’ like Ali G. That didn’t win him many friends with the staff.
“He was trying to be funny. He had a very cheeky attitude to the teachers.
“If the teacher he said it to sent him the the head he’d just say it again to the head- he didn’t care.
“I reckon he was trying to show off to get attention from some of the girls. Ali G was really popular at the time so people did think it was pretty funny the first few times but it did get old after a while. The funniest thing to me is that he isn’t even black.”
The friend, who asked not to be named, also said Raqib “had a screw loose” on the field.
He said: “He had a habit of putting in really bad challenges – sliding tackles and ‘clothesline’ tackles and stuff.
“He was a nice enough guy but he definitely had a screw loose.
“Even at school or on nights out he was always getting into fights- usually over nothing, like someone knocking a drink.”
Another former schoolmate said: “He was pretty cocky and arrogant when I played there with him.
“As a player I didn’t rate him much. He was speedy but that was about it.
“He hadn’t played rugby before and I think he thought it was like American Football – he was always going in on high tackles that could have done real damage to someone.
“After the games he could be a bit of an outcast, we used to like to go for a few drinks if we won but he obviously didn’t join us.
“Ramadan also muddled up his rugby. We were all on diets to bulk up but if you’re not eating all day then you can’t really do that.”
He added: “When I saw the papers I thought he was just another idiot like Abu Hamza and it took a while to click that I actually knew this guy.
“It makes me really angry to think that he’s doing this after everything the country gave to him- without us he wouldn’t even have an education.
“Now he’s off fighting folk he thinks are infidels, it’s disgusting that someone you once called a team mate would turn his back on our society like this.”
