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A Middlesbrough man alleged to have had a key role in recruiting for ISIS has written online essays to persuade young Muslims to disobey their parents and join Jihad.

Mohammed Fakhri Al-Khabass, of Marton, was said by his Sudanese university to have “played a major role” in persuading two groups of Britons to head to Syria last year.

The 16-strong recruitment remains one of the largest known groups to have joined the deadly terror group from the UK.

Writings purported to be written by Al-Khabass have emerged online in which the former Nunthorpe Academy pupil urges his Muslim “brothers and sisters” to disobey their parents and join ISIS in Jihad.

In an essay titled A Message To The Hessitant One From Hijrah And Jihad, written in October last year, Al-Khabass attacks the notion of parental permission.

He wrote: “It is important that we understand, that by Allah (SWT), no one can prevent us from the obligation of defending the Ummah and raising the word of Allah so that the Sharia is returned to all the Muslim lands.

“Only then will the obligation of Jihad be lifted upon every able individual.

“And so, until that happens, we will not seek permission from anyone, whether its parents, Murtadeen (apostate) rulers or anyone else.

“Permission has already been granted.”

Mr Al-Khabass is a British Palestinian and a former pupil at Captain Cook Primary School in Marton.

In 2008, he began his studies in medicine at the University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST) in Khartoum, Sudan.

It was during his time at UMST that Al-Khabass became president of the university’s Islamic Cultural Association (ICA) and is alleged to have spread a highly-politicised, militant version of Islam.

Last year, sources at the university said that Al-Khabass had persuaded recruits to join ISIS cause rather than pursuing medical careers in the West.

He graduated in 2013 but his location is now unknown.

Because of the difficulties in confirming the status and whereabouts of British nationals in areas of Syria and Iraq where ISIS operate, reports suggesting that Al-Khabass is in the Syrian city of Raqqa could not be confirmed by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

An FCO spokeswoman said: “We are aware of these reports, but cannot confirm them.”

Mr Al-Khabass’ father, Fakhri Deeb Abdullah Husein al-Khabass formally worked as GP at Erimus practice in Middlesbrough - he has since retired and is no longer registered to practise.

He declined to comment when contacted by The Gazette.

Dr Fakhri Al-Khabass previously told journalists his son had brought shame on the family.