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The parents of a British man accused of travelling to Syria to join Islamic State say they were arrested after they tried to send him money to buy new glasses.

Jack Letts, dubbed “Jihadi Jack”, was suspected of being the first white Briton to join the terror group after the 20-year-old left his home in Oxford last year, however his family strongly deny the claim.

On Thursday, his parents Sally Lane and John Letts said they were arrested under the terrorism act after trying to send him money in Syria, which they claimed was for new glasses.

In an interview with Channel 4 News, the parents said they fear their son will not leave Syria alive and that he suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder.

Mr Letts said: “We don't know exactly where he is. If you know he's in danger or can't see straight, what parent isn't going to try get their child a pair of glasses if he can't see straight.

"I'm furious really. I'm very upset. I think it's crazy that we can't send a penny to our ill son to help him get out or to help him in any way because we'll be seen as supporting terrorism."

"Any parent's going to act the way we have and feel the way we do. You wouldn't be a parent if you didn't try to protect your child."

Ms Lane added: “It's the worst feeling in the world. You feel completely helpless. Your child is out there. They have no support. They're still reliant on you.

"He's sending desperate messages to us saying it's cold or he doesn't have food or he can't see. We know that legally we're not allowed to help him. I just don't understand that."

The couple said there was no evidence their son had become an Islamic State fighter and claimed the police have "put two and two together and made ten".

"He has the freedom to practice whatever he wants, that's British values," Mr Letts added.

Ms Lane said: "It's so unfair, but if there is any evidence that he's done anything violent, if anyone can prove any of these allegations. If you can show me any of that I'll be the first to believe it and I'll be the first to report it.

"Because I don't want a son who would do that type of thing, because that is not how he was raised, and I don't think that's him. That is not the kid that I recognise."

"We have directly asked him. We know he won't lie about his religion because anything to do with his religion he thinks he'll go straight to hell.”