Despite already serving two years in a Lebanese prison for his links to IS, the man requested his identity and location not be identified. He lives in a state of vigilance evidenced by the knife he keeps tucked in his shorts for ready access.
The man, now 33, says he carries weapons through necessity, explaining through an interpreter that his former employer doesn't take kindly to those who leave.
“If ISIS reaches Lebanon, I will be the first one they kill,” he said.
He first joined for financial reasons, and worked in the organisation's highly developed media department, learning quickly of its persuasive power.
“It enables them to describe the Islamic religion and try to attract the people's support by following the Koran,” he said.
A job as a videographer led him to the frontline in Syria where he says he filmed hours of footage. He provided SBS with a hard drive containing countless videos, some he says he filmed himself, others he says were retrieved from the organisation’s media centre.
“I filmed a lot of battles,” he said. “If the soldier is injured and not killed they don't shoot him they behead him. That was terrible when you put a knife to the neck - there is a lot we filmed but was not broadcast”.
While their battlefield tactics might be archaic and brutal, Deakin University terror expert Greg Barton says the IS productions were slick and effective. The use of social and conventional media had both spread the ideology and attracted countless recruits.
“It's largely about building a utopian state and being part of this exciting project, about standing up for the oppressed and we know that's hollow and it's propaganda but for young people who are not better informed it's very convincing,” Professor Barton said.
He believes dismantling the public relations arm of the terror group is crucial.
“The messaging and the communication networks particularly through social media will be more critical than ever and if we don't address that even military victories won't be enough to make this thing go away,” he said.
The one-time “terror videographer” says his time with IS is well-and-truly over, but he still appears to harbour some affection for the group.
“As a religion perfect - really the best as a religion,” he said.
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