L.A. gang members fighting in Syria?

Two men claiming to be Los Angeles-area gang members have posted a video showing them firing rifles in Syria’s civil war, apparently fighting on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

• One gang member is “Wino,” or Nerses Kilajyan, of Westide Armenian Power gang


• Another is “Creeper” of Sun Valley GW-13 gang, he says in video


• FBI is investigating the video “to determine any potential threat”


• “This is very unique because these guys are … with the pro-Syria forces,” analyst says

(CNN) — Two men claiming to be Los Angeles-area gang members have posted a video showing them firing rifles in Syria’s civil war, apparently fighting on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

In the profanity-laced video, the two men fire rifles from behind a cinder-block wall at “enemigos” — enemies — though the camera never shows an enemy in the distance. The two men often refer to “gang-banging” and their “homies,” and one of them displays gang hand gestures and tattoos.

The video was publicized this week by the Middle East Media Research Institute, a Washington-based organization that studies and translates news accounts and social-media postings.

“This is very unique because these guys are over there, and they are with the pro-Syria forces and pro-Hezbollah forces,” said Steven Stalinksy, executive director of the institute. “We have been monitoring foreign fighters over the years, and there has been a handful of Americans going to fight, but they have been going to fight against Assad.”

Refugees scramble to flee Syria violence

What are the U.S. options in Syria?

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces is investigating the video.

“The JTTF is aware of the video and is investigating to determine any potential threat to Americans or to U.S. interests,” FBI spokeswoman Ari Dekofsky said in a statement. “We are not in a position to provide further comment at this time.”

The ties to the al-Assad regime apparently stem from how one of the two gang members identifies himself as “Wino” from the Westside Armenian Power gang. Some Armenians side with Assad because he has protected the minority group in Syria.

Wino uploaded the video and photographs to his Facebook page, where he is identified as “Wino Ayee Peeyakan” and by his real name, Nerses Kilajyan, according to MEMRI. The video was also posted to

Incoming Search Terms:
L.A. gang members fighting in Syria?
fighting, gang, L.A., members, Syria