Ex-Marine died fighting Islamic State in Syria

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A former Marine believed so strongly in the war against the Islamic State group that he secretly traveled to Syria, where he was killed this month while fighting for a Kurdish militia group.

David Taylor, a 25-year-old former Florida resident, had kept his plans to join the Kurdish group a secret from his family and only told a high school friend, who he swore to secrecy. Taylor’s father said Tuesday that he didn’t even know of his son’s plans until after he had arrived in Syria last spring and was training with the group known as YPG.

“I got an email and he said, ‘Pops, don’t worry. I’m with the YPG,'” David Taylor Sr. told The Associated Press from his West Virginia home. “He said, ‘I’m doing the right thing. It’s for their freedom.'”

Taylor Sr. said when his son set his mind on something, he did it.

“There was no middle ground. He wasn’t wishy-washy,” the father said.

A Kurdish militia group released a video saying Taylor was “martyred fighting ISIS’ barbarism” on July 16.