youtube danger tourist

Who is 'danger tourist' Miles Routledge and where did he go?

Three Britons are currently being held in custody by the Taliban in Afghanistan .

One of the men is charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, from Middlesbrough, according to the Presidium Network, a UK-based non-profit organisation that supports communities in crisis.

It said Cornwall and another unnamed man were arrested by the Taliban in January.

The third man, who was arrested on a different date, is understood to be Miles Routledge , a self-styled "danger tourist".

Who is Miles Routledge?

Routledge, the self-styled "Lord Miles", is a 23-year-old from Birmingham who spends his time travelling to the world's most dangerous places.

In his Twitter bio, the former Loughborough University physics student states: "I go to the most dangerous places on Earth for fun!"

He has more than 150,000 followers on Twitter and more than 59,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel.

Where has Miles Routledge visited?

Routledge travelled to Ukraine shortly after it was invaded by Russia last year, and has also visited South Sudan, Chernobyl and Brazil's Snake Island.

Videos posted on his YouTube channel also show him crossing the US/Mexico border and spending two days homeless in New York City.

Hasn't Routledge been to Afghanistan before?

Yes. Routledge was evacuated from Afghanistan by British Armed Forces in August 2021 after the Taliban seized control of the country.

He had posted updates on social media about his travels after the Taliban takeover.

Watch: Government 'in negotiations' to free Britons held by Taliban, says home secretary

Routledge said he chose Afghanistan because he enjoyed "dark" and "extreme" tourism.

Routledge was hailed by his supporters but criticised in some quarters for his trip.

He claimed he encountered Taliban members during his trip and that he had seen dead bodies in the street and shielded from gunfire in a Nato safe house in Kabul.

He was extracted to Dubai in what he described as a British Army plane.

He posted at the time: “The happy ending: landed in Dubai thanks to the brilliant people at the British army. All safe!”

He posted updates about the trip on Facebook, streaming site Twitch and the 4chan discussion board.

He travelled to Kabul as an alternative to a beach holiday, having looked up the most dangerous places to visit in the world and picked it off a list.

Has there been any contact with the three men?

Routlege's mother, Susan, said she has not been allowed to speak to him.

She told the Mail on Sunday : "I'm distraught. It is so worrying. I just want help to find out what has happened to him and make sure he is okay.

Read more: Mother of danger tourist detained by Taliban 'desperate to know he is safe'

"If I can get a message to those who are holding him, I just want to ask them to tell him he has my love and support.

"I am just desperate to know that he is safe. He keeps travelling because he loves it, he's only young and he's just finding himself after finishing university. I just want him to keep safe."

The families of Cornwell and the other unnamed man have been able to speak to them in an "emotional" call .

Scott Richards, co-founder of the Presidium Network, said on Twitter: “We can confirm the men have spoken with the family, the conversation was unscripted, and that they are being treated fairly.

“The family was able to speak for one minute to one minute and a half and to speak freely, clearly what is an important and emotional call.”

Richards said the call “represents tremendous progress in the situation”, adding: “The details of that call are private but we understand a great relief to the family.

“The relief Kevin’s family expressed after hearing his voice for the first time in three months not knowing if he was well brought a sense of peace and gave them hope that this situation will be resolved soon.”

What is being done to help the three Britons?

On Sunday, home secretary Suella Braverman suggested the government is “in negotiations” regarding the three men .

The two men being assisted by Presidium were detained by Taliban secret police on 11 January.

Presidium said the two men are being held because of a "misunderstanding" over a missing licence for a weapon in a safe in Cornwell's room.

It is unclear how long Routledge has been held for.

Braverman told Sky News: “Anyone travelling to dangerous parts of the world should take the utmost caution.

“If there are risks to people’s safety, if they’re a British citizen abroad, then the UK government is going to do whatever it takes to ensure that they’re safe.

“And the government is in negotiations and working hard to ensure people’s safety is upheld.”

Pressed on whether negotiations are currently happening, Braverman replied: “If there are problems and if there are safety concerns to British individuals abroad then the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) will be working actively to ensure people are safe.”

Richards said the men are being held in a general directorate of intelligence facility for foreigners.

An FCDO spokesman said: “We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and we are supporting families.”

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'Danger tourist' British YouTuber among three UK nationals detained by Taliban in Afghanistan

Three British men are being held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan, including so-called "danger tourist" Miles Routledge, Sky News has reported.

Key points:

• UK's foreign ministry says it is working hard to secure consular contact with the British nationals detained in Afghanistan
• Taliban authorities reportedly received a tip off that they had a weapon
• Non-profit group the Presidium Network says it believes the case is a misunderstanding

The other two men are charity medic Kevin Cornwell and another unidentified UK national who manages a hotel in Kabul, the report said.

"We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and we are supporting families," a spokesperson for Britain's foreign ministry said in a statement, but did not confirm the details of the British nationals.

Mr Routledge has gained fame, and attracted controversy, by travelling to dangerous countries and posting about it online.

Mr Routledge was previously evacuated from Afghanistan by the British Army after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, according to the BBC.

Scott Richards, who works for the Presidium Network, which helps people caught up in humanitarian crises, told Sky News it was supporting two of the men and their families.

"We do believe they are in good health and being well treated," he said.

"We have no reason to believe they've been subject to sort of any negative treatment, such as torture. And we're told that they are as good as can be expected in such circumstances."

He said he believed the arrests were a misunderstanding, after the three men were arrested after Taliban authorities received a tip off that they had a weapon.

"We at Presidium have engaged in conversations in and around with the Taliban to help facilitate and clear up this matter," he said. 

"We believe is a misunderstanding ... that comes from not being familiar with the processes and practices of contractors operating in hostile zones."

There had been "no meaningful contact" between authorities and the two men Presidium is assisting, he added.

These two men are believed to have been held by the Taliban since January.

It is not known how long the third man has been held for.

Last year, the Taliban freed a veteran television cameraman and four other British nationals it had held for six months.

Peter Jouvenal was one of a "number" of Britons that the government in London said had been held by the hardline Islamists.

Britain's foreign ministry said the five "had no role in the UK government's work in Afghanistan and travelled to Afghanistan against the UK government's travel advice". 

"This was a mistake," it added.

At the time, Afghanistan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused the Britons of "carrying out activities against the country's laws and traditions of the people of Afghanistan".

"After consecutive meetings between the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) and Britain the said persons were released… and handed over to their home country," he said.

"They promised to abide by the laws of Afghanistan, its traditions and culture of the people and not to violate them again," he added.

The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and has since sparked global outrage with its policies in particular towards women and girls .

Reuters/AFP

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'Danger tourist' among three Britons held by Taliban - as government 'in negotiations' to ensure their safety

The three men include "danger tourist" Miles Routledge, who had to be rescued from Afghanistan in 2021 when Western forces pulled out of the country suddenly as the Taliban took over.

Political reporter @alixculbertson

Sunday 2 April 2023 10:07, UK

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The UK government is "in negotiations" over three Britons held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the home secretary has said.

The three British men include "danger tourist" Miles Routledge, 23, charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and an unnamed UK national who manages a hotel in Kabul.

They are all believed to have been held by Taliban secret police since January in separate incidents, it emerged on Saturday .

Latest: Britons held by Taliban 'in contact' with families

Asked about the Home Secretary Suella Braverman told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "If there are risks to people's safety, if they're a British citizen abroad, then the UK government is going to do whatever it takes to ensure that they're safe.

"The government is in negotiations and working hard to ensure people's safety is upheld."

Asked directly if the government was in negotiations over the three men, Ms Braverman replied: "If there are problems and if there are safety concerns to British individuals abroad, then the FCO will be working actively to ensure people are safe."

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She added that anybody travelling to dangerous parts of the world "should take the utmost caution" and should always act on the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

The FCDO advises UK citizens against all travel to Afghanistan based on the security risks involved, including the possibility of detention by the Taliban authorities.

It says there are no British consular officials in the country and the ability to provide consular assistance "is severely limited and cannot be delivered in person".

Taliban not a proscribed terrorist group

Earlier, an FCDO spokesman said: "We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and we are supporting families."

The UK maintains a rule of not negotiating with terrorists, but the Taliban in Afghanistan is not a proscribed terrorist group and Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is not subject to sanctions.

Mr Routledge has gained fame - and attracted controversy - by travelling to dangerous countries and posting about it online.

In August 2021, he was on a "holiday" in Afghanistan when he was caught up in the chaos in the capital as the Taliban took control of the country.

He chose the war-torn country having looked up a list of the most dangerous places to visit in the world, despite the Taliban taking control of more and more of the country at the time.

Mr Routledge thanked the British Army after he was among those to leave during the Kabul airlift when the UK and allied forces left the country suddenly as the Taliban took over.

He appears to have returned to the country since then.

Scott Richards from the Presidium Network non-profit organisation, which is assisting Mr Cornwell and the unnamed Briton, told Sky News he believes the pair are in good health and are being well treated.

But he added: "There has been no meaningful contact [with the men], there has been no access by international monitoring agencies... and there's been no other form of access to the individuals to date."

He said he was "very hopeful" they would have contact with the men.

Mr Cornwell was arrested at his hotel by officers from the Taliban's general directorate of intelligence on 11 January.

He is accused of having an illegal firearm in the safe in his room, but his family say he had been granted a licence for the firearm.

Mr Richards said this was a "misunderstanding" and the licence may have become separated from the firearm during the search.

Related Topics

‘Danger Tourist’ YouTuber, Who Once Fled the Taliban, Is Now in Taliban Custody and Being Held in Afghanistan

“Danger Tourist” Youtuber Miles Routledge is among three British citizens being held in Taliban custody, and unfortunately this is not his first time stuck in the region. Routledge, otherwise known as Lord Miles on his YouTube channel, creates videos for his 65.5 thousand subscribers filled with dangerous antics. Some of the videos include I Went Shooting with the Taliban, I Got Kidnapped In Kenya! and 48 Hours Homeless in New York City. Routled…

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YouTuber who travels to most dangerous places on Earth reveals one place where he thought his life was at risk

He was very glad a car showed up to rescue him.

A YouTuber who travels to some of the most dangerous spots in the world has revealed which place he felt like his life was most at risk.

Callum Abroad is a channel which, as you might have guessed, shows what sort of dangerous experiences Callum Mills gets into when travelling .

He's one of a group of content creators who engage in 'danger tourism', where they go and make videos in parts of the world known to be risky.

Callum's channel shows that he's been to Afghanistan under Taliban rule , Ukraine during Russia's invasion and even went to the remains of Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.

He ended up talking about his travels on a recent episode of the Have A Word podcast where he explained that the part of the world where he felt most fear for his life was actually none of those.

"I went to Bogota, Colombia , and there's a place called the Bronx of Bogota and I was told 'do not go there, don't go there if you're a white guy'," Callum explained on the podcast.

"So I went there, and I'm walking about and I managed to meet up with a local. He's 'oh I'll get you permission' to come into the, sort of the hood.

"So I got to the start of the hood and they get a phone call saying 'don't bring this guy in, he's not allowed'.

"They [the cartel] control the streets so they don't like outsiders. I was not worth the risk, however I ended up in a gang house.

"I walked in and I'm like 'hello, hello' and nobody spoke to me. The guy's like 'come on, I'll show you this' and I'm pretty nervous at this point. We walked into the back room and it was stinking.

"He had this big cage and there was this like alligator or crocodile, whatever the f**k it is, I'm not David Attenborough, and he's like 'what we do is if we catch the gang members we'll not let it kill them but we'll stick their leg or their arm and let it rip them apart'.

"I'm standing there going 'oh aye, that's good', then he's took me in another room that was stinking, he's like 'acid, acid' pointing at this big drum. I don't know what was in it but it was stinking and I'm like 'I need to get out of here'."

He ended up getting out of the house, of course otherwise he wouldn't be able to recount his story, but ended up alone in Bogota at night.

Callum then said he ended up walking under a bridge around midnight where people were sitting when he heard them call him 'gringo', then got up and followed him.

He ran until a car pulled up next to him and he was told to get in, which he did even though he didn't know who was behind the wheel.

Luckily he didn't get murdered there either as the driver got him away and told him 'you cannot be here'.

Callum reckoned that if that car hadn't turned up he might have been in some serious trouble, so it sounds like if you're ever travelling around the world and the locals warn you to stay away from a specific place their warnings are worth heeding.

Topics:  YouTube , Travel , World News

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@ MrJoeHarker

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World of dark tourism where thrillseekers risk death in dangerous countries

A traveller who claimed he was stuck in Kabul along with other “dark tourists” who travel the world and risk their lives has been “evacuated”.

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A British man who claimed he was stuck in Kabul after going to Afghanistan on a holiday has been “evacuated”.

Miles Routledge, 24, said he picked the bizarre holiday destination after googling “the most dangerous cities to visit” — but it soon “got way out of hand”, The Sun reports.

As of Sunday he was hiding out in a UN safehouse after trying to flee the war-torn Afghan capital several times.

But now he claims he has finally been rescued from possible death at the hands of the Taliban.

The Loughborough physics student from Birmingham documented his alleged escape on Facebook, alongside a smiling photo of himself in army gear.

He said: “Evacuated at 4ish (it’s 2am now) with 100 or so other civilians.

“Couldn’t message as there were cars emitting signals that would set off bombs.

“It blocked my airpods from connecting so I think it blocked all wifi/data.

“The Taliban let us go through the airport and we met many of them.

“Very long transition period but everyone was smiling and waving at one another, some took selfies with them.

“I slept on a dirt/gravel road and woke up as cars went by.

“We’re in a new safe house and we’re all hydrated, happy and ready for a few hours of sleep.”

‘Coming home’

Miles had been documenting his odd trip on Facebook, Twitch, the live streaming platform, and on 4chan, the message board site linked to viral memes and pranks.

As thousands of desperate Afghans try get out of the country after the Taliban victory , Miles had said he believed he would be safe because of a £15 (A$28) joke purchase which gives him the right to use the title “Lord” —- seen on his American Express card.

But later told worried friends: “No more flights in Kabul, I’m stuck in Afghanistan. Bit of a pickle.”

Miles’ mum, Susan, was too distraught to speak at the family home in Sutton Coldfield about her son’s situation.

She told The Sun Online on Monday she was urgently waiting for a call from the Foreign Office to find out whether Miles will be kept safe.

And a pal at Loughborough University has now revealed Miles had wanted to do “something weird during summer to show off about” in September.

The meme-loving student had posted about his plans for the “insane” trip on online university forums before setting off on his holiday, his friend said.

“Miles is definitely in Afghanistan - 100 per cent. He’s genuinely there. People might think it’s an elaborate hoax but it’s true,” he told The Sun Online.

“People told him he was insane. They told him he was a nutcase if he went over there at the moment.

“But I think it just spurred him on. He’s a joker - he just wanted to do something weird during summer to show off about.

“This seems like an elaborate real-life meme gone way too far.”

He added: “This is a joke that’s just gone way out of hand. He wanted to come back in September with a story to tell about how he went to Kabul.

“The madness and the danger doesn’t appear to have crossed his mind.

“He posted on Reddit saying he’d bought a knife to protect himself. He said, ‘If I go down, I want to go down guns blazing’. It’s ridiculous.

“He’s definitely not a fighter. He couldn’t handle himself against a uni student - let alone the Taliban.”

Holiday hell

Miles was planning to spend a few weeks in Kabul before going to Albania and flying back to England to avoid the UK’s red list, his pal said yesterday.

“This was just his weird summer holiday. It’s not like he’s going there because he’s got an interest in what’s happening - he’s only gone there for a joke,” he said.

“It’s insane. Now he’s trapped and he can’t get back.

“I can understand going somewhere for a joke. But going to Kabul while it’s falling it’s just madness.

“He’s literally stuck there and he can’t get back. They’ve pulled out all the troops. It’s just crazy.”

‘Prepared for death’

Physics student Miles, originally from Birmingham, said he picked the location for his trip after googling “the most dangerous cities to visit”.

He has been documenting his trip on 4chan, the message board site, and on Twitch, the livestreaming platform.

Miles told his followers: “I was fully prepared for death, I accepted it.

“This trip has been a test of God. I’m very religious so I believe I’ll be looked after.

“Before I left I wrote a letter to my friends saying that if I died, not to feel guilty, that I would die happy and religious and proud,” he said.

“I was under the impression that the country wouldn’t fall for another month, so I thought it was going to be fine.

“I’d seen videos on YouTube of people going. I thought maybe the worst case would be food poisoning.”

History of tourists getting in trouble

Yet Miles is not the first British tourist to naively travel to an international danger zone and find themselves in deep trouble.

In 2019, British vlogger Jolie King and her Aussie partner Mark Firkin were arrested in Iranian capital Tehran for flying a drone.

Ms King was held in Evin Prison in the same wing as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a Brit charity worker accused of being a spy.

According to former inmates there, prisoners have been electrocuted and raped by guards as well as being beaten so hard they vomit blood.

Luckily for Jolie, she and her boyfriend were eventually released with the couple saying they were “happy and relieved” to be back in Australia.

Into the danger zone

But why do Westerners want to visit war zones and other dangerous places?

British dark tourist Andy McGinlay, 40, has travelled to more than 100 countries around the world, and has developed a taste for extreme holidays.

Between 2010 and 2015, he visited Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea – and feared he’d be kidnapped more than once.

He told Sun Online about the motivations behind his adventures – which have seen him threatened with knives and taken against his will by fake tour guides.

Mr McGinlay said: “The first one was Yemen in 2004 and I got a taste for the thrill of it.

“In the beginning I got an adrenaline rush, absolutely.

“These days the feeling is what I call ‘hyper alert’ – where you become acutely aware of movements and sounds around you.

“Your guard is way up. I guess it’s the state in between fight or flight mode.”

Glasgow-born Mr McGinlay, who runs a travel-based YouTube channel, said he was inspired by Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler who visited the pariah states listed by George Bush in his infamous ‘Axis of Evil’ speech following 9/11.

He said: “But my ultimate ambition is to visit every country in the world – which is also driving me to take risks.”

‘They were spying on me’

And Jolie King isn’t the only Brit to have a sinister experience in Iran – which executes more people per capita than any other country on Earth.

In 2012, Mr McGinlay believes he was spied on by Iranian security services during a trip to the northern city of Tabirz.

He arranged a guide, who was a local PhD student, to show him around and host him at his home for a few days.

However, when he left, travelling into northern Iraq overland, his Iranian chaperone was arrested for “consorting with a British foreigner”.

Mr McGinlay believes he must have been followed by police as he arrived in Iran by bus from Armenia and never spoke with immigration authorities or police while in the country.

He had obtained a visa from the Iranian embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, where he was working as a teacher.

‘They are so paranoid’

Mr McGinlay said: “They knew I was British and knew my identity. How did they join the dots?

“They are so paranoid, they interrogated him to find out if I was a spy.

“But what that means is that they must have been spying on us at the time which is incredible.

“They must have wondered or assumed that I was a spy because it’s very unusual for a British person to be travelling in Iran at that time and in that place. It’s not a very touristy place.”

Luckily, the guide was eventually released after he was able to prove that the Scottish backpacker’s visit was entirely innocent.

Other tourists have not been so fortunate.

In 2010, another British tourist Andrew Barber was accused of “spying” by Iran and spent 58 days in Evin Prison – the same hellish jail where Ms King was held.

It emerged that Andrew’s “crime” was taking a photograph of a sunrise which was near a power plant.

When police checked his belongings, they discovered that he had previously worked in Iraq – one of Iran’s bitter regional rivals – for logistics company DHL.

He claims he was refused access to the British embassy and thrown into a cell where he was left blindfolded for 26 days.

He said: “I had no furniture and almost no natural light. Only a bright fluorescent tube that stayed on 24/7, even when you were trying to sleep.

Arrested for taking a picture

“I was allowed out of my cell 10 minutes a day to use the toilet. I started to lose my mind after about seven days.”

Thankfully, the charges against Mr McGinlay were eventually dropped because there was no evidence against him and he was handed over to the British embassy.

“Danger travel”, viewed by many enthusiasts as a distinct offshoot of dark tourism, made headlines in 2016 when US tourist Otto Warmbier was jailed in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster.

But despite being sentenced to 15 years hard labour, the 22-year-old was released the following year in a coma after suffering a “severe neurological injury” while in prison.

He died on June 19, 2017 as a result of his injuries.

The loose definition of “dark tourism”, a phrase coined by two Scottish academics in the 1990s, is visiting a place which is known for death or disaster.

Many experts believe there is an important distinction between visiting historical sites such as Auschwitz and so-called “danger travel”.

Dr Peter Hohenhaus claims to be “probably the most widely travelled, dedicated dark tourist” in the world having visited more than 700 different sites including Nazi death camps and Chernobyl.

He told Sun Online: “I do not seek danger and have rarely found myself in risky situations, and if so that was quite independently of dark tourism and not planned as such, often having more to do with dodgy means of transport in countries such as Indonesia.

“It is unfortunately a very common misunderstanding of dark tourism that it is ‘danger tourism’ but for 99.99 per cent of it that is not actually the case.

“I know there are people who actively look for an adrenaline kick through danger tourism – for example by travelling to active war zones even, but I would not call that dark tourism.

“It’s something else and something I do not take part in or can even relate to much.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission

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Man who visits war zones explains why he does it

Prolific 'danger tourist' andrew drury, whose travels including visits to active war zones, told unilad why he does it.

Kit Roberts

When you think of a holiday, a few options might spring to mind.

It could be anything from a raucous trip to Ibiza to a quiet weekend hiking, or perhaps a city break to take in the culture and atmosphere. You’re unlikely to think of travelling somewhere highly dangerous, including active war zones.

But that’s just how the subjects of a documentary by director Vita Maria Drygas like to spend their holidays . The film Danger Zone follows four people who take and organise trips to war zones:

Among the four ‘danger tourists’ who feature in the documentary Danger Zone is Andrew Drury, a British man who runs a construction company and is a prolific danger tourist. Drury’s trips over the last 20 years have included places such as Uganda, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine , and many others.

UNILAD asked Drury why he chooses to go on such dangerous holidays.

“I like to go to destinations that other people didn't go, I didn’t go looking for a war, although adrenaline of being in that sort of area did thrill me,” he said. “But it wasn't something I went looking for, it's become a journey really.”

There’s a strong sense of wanting to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Extreme situations might also make life seem simpler.

Many people arrive at a point in their life where things settle into place, a successful career, a beautiful home, a loving family , only to find themselves wondering: is this it now?

"It’s less voyeuristic when it’s real"

It’s hard to deny that there is something intoxicating in this notion, but this kind of boredom is a luxury. It’s a stark difference from the lived reality of people who find themselves indefinitely separated from loved ones because they’re either scattered across the world, missing, or dead.

Critics of dark tourists such as Drury, and war tourists in particular, accuse them of voyeurism. Drury dismisses these criticisms, arguing that society at large has a fascination with watching the suffering of others.

“Everybody watches the news ,” he said. “Ukraine for instance, everybody wakes up in the morning they’re voyeurists. Anybody who reads a newspaper they’re voyeurists. See a car at the side of the road in an accident? That’s voyeurism.”

It’s one thing to watch a news report on something, something else entirely to get on a plane and travel to the location, something you might argue is indicative of a fascination with the macabre.

Drury argues that the authenticity of his experiences means that his trips are actually less voyeuristic than someone sitting at home watching a video .

“It’s less voyeuristic when it’s real,” he explained. “For me it is, it’s interaction with people actually experiencing that. Nobody where I visit says I’m a voyeurist, most people say I’m a friendly nice guy. If it is voyeurism I’d just go there and view and never make contact again. I’m in constant contact with everybody I meet.”

"There is that attraction"

Nonetheless, the highly experienced Drury admits that in his earlier days there ‘might have been’ an element of addiction to danger in his trips, though he added he doesn’t think that’s there anymore.

He said: “I think the addiction to the danger, that feels gone. I'm not addicted. I think that might have been there, I think when I had my first frontline experience. There is that attraction, a certain amount of adrenaline must get released in your body.”

But Drury firmly believes that he has changed since those early days, talking about his pivot towards documentation including interviewing former ISIS member Shamima Begum.

Begum came into the public eye when she left the UK aged 15 to join ISIS in Syria. She hit the headlines again when UK Home Secretary at the time Sajid Javid stripped her of her British citizenship and refused to allow her to return to the UK to face trial.

Fascinated by Begum’s story, Drury eventually managed to meet her.

“The Shamima situation, for her I wanted to know her true story, because we all read about what we thought about her," he said. “My life is just generally normal. It’s helped bring stories back, bring back the truth about her.”

After speaking to Begum, Drury told British right-wing broadcaster GB News he believed that Begum had been putting on an act. Speaking after Begum’s British citizenship was revoked, he told how she had ‘changed’ over the course of their time together, behaving more ‘like a victim’.

Drury made it clear that he now takes the opportunity to tell people’s stories very seriously. Recounting one such story, he said: “I spent time with a guy whose story may have never been told if it wasn't for me.

"It's made me a better person"

“He was in a sniper’s pit. And he was looking at houses which would have been about 1500 metres [away].

“I asked, well, why’ve you got your sights set on one place? He said, that's my house, ISIS are with my wife and children. I look through the site, one day I might see my wife and children.”

He added: “Unfortunately, he lost his life before he could find his family. I think that story is not voyeurism, that's a fact and true to life that people don't listen to, or don’t see.”

Drury believes that his experiences have changed him for the better. He said: “I think from people I've met during my journey, it's made me a better person and more understanding of what it's like to be at war, what it's like to be in conflict. I learned to understand. Empathy is a big word.”

As to whether he has found what he was looking for on his journeys, that’s less clear.

“I don't know what I was looking for,” he said. “I don't know if I was looking for anything. I mean, disaster? I don't know, I don't think I'm looking for anything. If I'm looking for something I haven’t found it, but I'm happy. Maybe you can help me find it.”

DANGER ZONE plays the ICA, London on 14 March as part of Kinoteka Polish Film Festival and is released on digital platforms on March 22.

Topics:  News , Travel , US News , UK News , World News

Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

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US ‘danger tourism’ YouTuber kidnapped by Haiti gang

A US YouTube star has reportedly been kidnapped after he ignored warnings to travel to Haiti in an attempt to interview a ruthless gang leader.

Addison Pierre Maalouf is understood to have headed to the Caribbean country earlier this month to film content for his social media channel YourFellowArab.

Mr Maalouf was planning to interview Jimmy Cherizier , the leader of the notorious G9 gang who was nicknamed “Barbecue” for killing his rivals by torching their homes while they’re inside.

But on March 14, 24 hours after he arrived in the county, Mr Maalouf and a Haitian colleague were kidnapped by members of the 400 Mawozo gang, according to local news outlet Haiti24.

Joseph Wilson, the gang’s leader, is known as Lanmo San Jou , which means “death has no appointed time”.

Mr Maalouf is reportedly being held for a £475,000 ransom, of which £37,000 has been paid.

The US State Department would not confirm whether Mr Maalouf had been abducted but said it is “aware of reports of the kidnapping of a US citizen in Haiti”.

‘We’re working on getting him out’

Lalem, a fellow YouTuber, posted online on Thursday that his friend had been kidnapped.

“Yes Arab has been kidnapped in Haiti and we’re working on getting him out,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He also shared what he claims is the last video Mr Maalouf had recorded before being abducted.

In the video, a topless Mr Maalouf says he had planned to travel to Port-au-Prince , the Haiti capital, but had to wait until the morning to make the six-hour car journey.

He said he had been approved to travel to the region but “all it takes is one stupid gang member holding an AK-47 for one thing to go wrong.”

Standing on a balcony overlooking a pool, Mr Maalouf said he was planning to take advantage of the deserted facilities.

“How many times in your life are you the only person in an entire hotel because the country’s completely shut down, no one should be coming in and you’re just a retarded YouTuber”.

‘If I die, thanks for watching’

Mr Maalouf, who previously interviewed a Mexican cartel leader, wrote on March 10 that he was “going on another one of those trips”.

“If I die, thanks for watching what I’ve put out,” he posted.

Miles Routledge, another YouTuber, known as “Lord Miles” claimed he spoke directly with Mr Maalouf using his kidnappers’ phone.

He said his friend was being “kept in a cage in a place on the eastern outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince”.

The State Department warns against all travel to Haiti where “ kidnapping is widespread and victims regularly include US citizens”.

Victims have been “physically harmed during kidnappings” and US personnel are “limited only to the confined area around the embassy and are prohibited from walking into Port-au-Prince”.

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Last photo of British 'danger tourist', 23, smiling with Taliban gunmen in Afghanistan before he was arrested by the secret police

• EXCLUSIVE: Social media star 'Lord Miles' was held on latest trip to Afghanistan 
• The 23-year-old from Birmingham was previously evacuated from Kabul in 2021

By Paul Thompson for MailOnline

Published: 05:08 EDT, 8 April 2023 | Updated: 12:00 EDT, 8 April 2023

View comments

This is the last photo of British ‘danger tourist’ to Afghanistan Miles Routledge before he was taken prisoner by the Taliban .

The former physics student from Birmingham was arrested on March 2 by fighters from the extremist Islamic group that once again controls Afghanistan alongside two Polish nationals and is being held for questioning amid fears for his safety.

Now MailOnline has obtained the final picture he took before being held which shows the 23-year-old giving the thumbs up while standing next to a member of the Taliban who is holding an automatic rifle.

Accompanying the photograph – which was sent from his phone or laptop on March 8th - was a short message downplaying the seriousness of his plight, even though the Taliban are notorious for torturing and murdering prisoners.

Routledge wrote: ’Yo guys, been taken by Afghan intelligence for taking like $1,000 out of Western Union (sus amount). No internet, no idea when this will send, everything is good but please excuse my lack of communication.'

MailOnline has obtained the final picture he took before being held which shows the 23-year-old Miles Routledge (left) giving the thumbs up while standing next to a member of the Taliban who is holding an automatic rifle

He added: ’It will be a few days of questioning.’

A friend who received the photo told MailOnline they have had no further communication from Routledge since his message was posted to his subscriber only blogging site on March 8.

The friend, who asked not to be named, said: ’I am now very worried for Miles. No one has heard anything from him in weeks after he said he was being arrested for withdrawing money from a Western Union.

‘He had uploaded the message on March the 2 to the Patreon account I subscribe to, but it did not arrive until March 8 early in the morning when it is likely he re-established some internet access.

‘We do not know if he sent it or someone else had access to the internet and switched on his phone. We know from the time stamp on the photograph it was uploaded on March 2.

Fears for Routledge’s safety have increased as he is usually very active on social media and has not been able to contact any of his friends for over a month.

The Taliban have not confirmed that he is being held prisoner but aid workers in Kabul are aware he is a captive.

Routledge's family have no idea if he is safe or why he is being held.

One of Miles's friends, who asked not to be named, said: ’I am now very worried for Miles. No one has heard anything from him in weeks after he said he was being arrested for withdrawing money from a Western Union. Miles is pictured with meeting a Taliban fighter for one of his YouTube videos 

The 23-year-old shared footage of himself shooting an assault rifle given to him by a Taliban fighter. The video has since notched up more than a million views on Miles's YouTube channel

The former physics student's mother told MailOnline she has had no contact from her son for several weeks.

Susan Routledge said she has no idea of his whereabouts as her only contact is from following his social media postings.

‘Of course, I am very worried, but I do not know anything or what has happened to him.’ Mrs Routledge said.

‘No one has been in contact with me. I have not been contacted by the Foreign Office or anyone. I just hope that he is safe, and nothing happens to him’.

Routledge, who boasts on his YouTube channel of visiting the most dangerous places on earth ‘for fun’, travelled to Afghanistan against Foreign Office advice.

He was seized by the Taliban alongside Adrian Wojcik, 22, and Roman Bilsi, 24, who are understood to have entered the country with him.

Two other British nationals are also currently being held by the Taliban after being arrested earlier this year.

Charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and an unnamed British hotel manager have been in prison since January.

The pair - who were held after a licensed gun was found in a safe in Cornwell’s hotel bedroom – have been allowed to contact relatives back in the UK by phone.

Thumbs up: Routledge, who boasts on his YouTube channel of visiting the most dangerous places on earth ‘for fun’, travelled to Afghanistan against Foreign Office advice.

He was seized by the Taliban alongside Adrian Wojcik, 22, and Roman Bilsi, 24, who are understood to have entered the country with him. He is pictured in summer 2021 before being evacuated from Kabul following the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan

Unconfirmed reports from a Twitter account linked to the Taliban claimed Routledge was suspected of being a spy.

According to an organisation calling themselves the Taliban Public Relations Commentary, Routledge is being held on suspicion of espionage and ‘serving the notorious criminal organisation MI5’.

The Taliban PR is not an official mouthpiece of the country’s rulers but have been posting about Routledge since March 15 and first suggested he was last seen in an area close to the Chinese border on March 6.

It is not known what they are basing their information on or if they have any access to Government officials or members of the GSI – General Directorate of Intelligence - the Taliban secret police.

In one tweet the group said Routledge, who uses the moniker Lord Miles for his online postings, was being held with two other Britons, two Polish nationals and 16 Afghans.

The group said one of their members attempted to see Routledge but was turned away by his captors.

In a tweet the group said: ‘Ahmad (a member of the Taliban PR) travelled to the location where Miles is being held but was refused access. He was assured that he was being well looked after. There is not much our department can do apart from publishing information.’

The tweet ended with 'We pray that there is a positive conclusion to the case.’

Routledge appears to be known to the group as they had previously praised him for an earlier visit.

According to an organisation calling themselves the Taliban Public Relations Commentary, Routledge is being held on suspicion of espionage and ‘serving the notorious criminal organisation MI5’. This is one of the photos the group shared of Miles with a Taliban

Danger tourist: Miles is pictured dangling off the gun of a Russian tank with its 'Z' insignia on it during one of his trips abroad 

Foreign Office officials have confirmed they are working hard to secure consular contact with the three British nationals in Afghanistan.

In videos posted to his YouTube subscribers and on his Twitter account Routledge had talked about buying Taliban ‘merchandise’ and later selling it after leaving the country.

He was last known to have been in Afghanistan seven months ago where he posted a series of videos, including visiting a market in Jalalabad to look at the guns that were on sale.

Another video featured him firing a semi-automatic weapon and posing for photos with what he called the ‘Talibro.’

He claimed in the video that he had entered the country on a fake US passport.

Routledge, a former physics student at Loughborough University, was previously branded an ‘idiot’ after he flew to the Afghan capital when US and UK forces were pulling out in 2021.

He boasted to his followers that he was given the last tourist visa by the Afghan Government before they fled and handed control of the country back to the feared Taliban.

He was evacuated from the country at a cost of tens of thousands to the taxpayer and accused of needlessly taking up a seat on a flight to Dubai at the expense of others fleeing the brutal regime.

Undeterred by criticism, Routledge wrote a book about his experiences called ‘Lord Miles in Afghanistan’.

His latest trip appears to have been funded by donations to him on the Patreon site where bloggers can charge for their content to fund his trips abroad.

Miles charges from £3 a month to £19 a month for access.

Last year he travelled to the Ukraine and also war-torn Sudan with videos posted to YouTube detailing his experiences in the danger zones.

Mr Cornwell, from Middlesbrough, had been in Afghanistan for 11 months working as a medic for Iqarus International, which provides free healthcare to local people.

Charity medic Kevin Cornwell (pictured),53, and an unnamed British hotel manager are among the other prisoners being held by the Taliban

It's believed Miles was detained by the Taliban's ruthless secret police on March of this year. He is pictured on one of his earlier trips to Afghanistan 

He was arrested in a raid at his hotel by officers from the General Directorate of Intelligence on January 11.

He is accused of having an illegal firearm in the safe in his room at the Darya Village Hotel, despite having a permit from the Taliban government.

A non-profit organisation called Presidium Network that works in conflict zones are supporting the families of the two men. The organisation has no contact with Routledge’s family.

Its founder Scott Richards, an experienced negotiator, cast doubt on the claim that Routledge was accused of being a spy.

He said: ‘Claims made by a particular Twitter account to this effect should not be taken with any authority. Although it refers to itself as a PR fo the Taliban – it is not an official account of the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan).

‘Speculative and sensational comments by unofficial sources are not conductive to helping any individual detained.’

The UK withdrew embassy and consular staff in 2021 and the Foreign Office continues to advise citizens against all travel to Afghanistan based on the security risks involved, including the possibility of detention by the Taliban authorities. 

Student who has visited the world's most dangerous places is being held by Taliban secret police - as his mother says 'he just wanted to find himself' on his travels 

by TOM COTTERILL FOR MAILONLINE 

He is the notorious 'danger tourist' who has filmed himself shooting with the Taliban and sauntering around Ukraine 'on holiday' days after Russia invaded it.

But now thrill-seeking YouTuber Miles Routledge, 23, finds himself a hostage of the Taliban's brutal secret police, caged in an Afghan jail having been arrested last month.

The former physics student from Birmingham is one of three Britons locked up by the ruthless regime, who the UK Government is now negotiating with. 

It's the first time the social media star, dubbed 'Lord Miles', has found himself jailed during his 'self-destructive' jaunts to the world's most deadly areas - which include South Sudan and Brazil's lethal 'Snake Island'.

Bragging to his 151,000-strong army of online fans, Miles says he travels to the 'most dangerous places on Earth for fun'. But his mother - now wracked with worry over his incarceration - insists he is just trying to 'find himself'.

Miles Routledge travelled to Afghanistan in 2021 on a tourist visa for 'fun'. Now he has been detained by the ruthless Taliban secret police. He is pictured on one of his tours of Afghanistan

He visited Afghanistan back in the summer of 2021 as the Taliban were retaking the country following the shambolic withdrawal of American forces. During his time there, he posed with an assault rifle he claimed he had been given by the SAS

'He keeps travelling because he loves it, he's only young and he's just finding himself after finishing university. I just want him to keep safe,' a tearful Susan Routledge, 64. said of the former Loughborough University student. 

In August 2021, Mr Routledge sparked fury after travelling to Afghanistan for 'a holiday' as it fell into the hands of the Taliban. 

He went against Foreign Office advice at the time not to travel to the 'extremely volatile country', which was plunged into chaos following the shambolic withdrawal of US forces after two decades of war. 

During the carnage, Miles said he found his way into a NATO compound where he claimed he was invited to hold an assault rifle by 'tipsy British SAS soldiers'. 

Other clips of his trips to the country showed him blasting automatic rifles with a Taliban fighter and visiting a weapons market in the city of Jalalabad, a stronghold for terrorists affiliated to Islamic State. 

The social media star was later evacuated out of Kabul on a British military flight to Dubai, smirking as he left the tarmac alongside desperate Afghans. 

But when news broke the student had essentially gone for jolly though a warzone, he was branded an 'idiot' by critics online.  

However, the Afghanistan saga was just the beginning of a 'career' for Miles - one that's been described at best as foolhardy and at most brazenly inappropriate. 

Miles travelled around Kabul in the days before the Taliban took charge of the country, documenting his journey online to his army of followers

He was eventually airlifted out of the country after the Taliban took control - but he was slammed for his trip, with critics branding him an 'idiot'

A young Miles: The adventurer shared a picture of himself as a child on his Twitter weeks before he was arrested by the Taliban

Since his Kabul compound days, the self-described 'British supremacist', has travelled to a host of dangerous places - ostensibly for 'war journalism and charity.'

Shortly after returning back from Afghanistan, Miles set his sights on Kazakhstan which was undergoing a period of civil unrest due to energy price hikes. 

With Russian militia patrolling the streets on 'shoot to kill' orders, Miles shared pictures to his followers of him smiling in the snow.

Then, just before Christmas in 2021, he jetted off to the war-torn nation of South Sudan, in Africa. 

Arriving in Juba after first flying to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, he claimed he was offered a tribal wife and quipped: 'I can honestly say I prefer it to London in many ways'.

Miles was invited to the country by a Sudanese local who followed his escapades in Afghanistan.

He told the Times he wanted to visit Sudan because he had heard the country was 'chaotic' and wanted to experience it for himself.    

Miles flew to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia before catching a second plane to Juba in South Sudan, according to his Twitter profile

Then aged 21, he claimed he wanted to visit Sudan because he had heard the country was 'chaotic' and wanted to experience it for himself

The Birmingham youngster was invited to the nation by a Sudanese local who followed his escapades in Afghanistan. He later spent several weeks hiking in Uganda before crossing into Kenya to visit a fan

He added he had twice tried to travel to the north of the country but was stopped by soldiers - including children brandishing AK47s.  

Mr Routledge claimed he was offered a Sudanese wife and a new name by a remote tribe, that he did not identify. 

He also claimed to have heard gunshots going off at night, in scenes reminiscent of his time in Afghanistan, though the reports were rubbished online. 

Shortly afterwards in February 2022 with tensions in Eastern Europe at breaking point, Miles travelled to Ukraine just as Putin's troops invade.

He reportedly spent £6 to go from Poland to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on February 25 - less than a day after Russian's launched their murderous assault. 

Tweeting about his exploits, Miles wrote: 'It's official. Tintin goes to Ukraine, he's on the train' and has since been tweeting about his alleged journey.

The fearless traveller said Ukraine was still 'safer than London or Birmingham' at the time and previously boasted of visiting the country in 2019 to see Chernobyl - the site of the world's most deadly nuclear meltdown disaster in 1986. 

He even claimed to have shouted at invading Russian troops while wearing a mask of Russian despot Vladimir Putin on his face and that 'friendly' Ukrainian troops in Donetsk had given him a military uniform to wear. 

Miles said he travelled to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February 2022 and was gifted a Ukrainian army uniform. He also claimed he shouted at Russians wearing a Vladimir Putin mask

Mr Routledge previously bragged of visiting Chernobyl, posting pictures in May 2021 saying it was two years since he visited the scene of the 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine

Speaking to MailOnline about his trip, Miles said: 'I've been to Ukraine before so I'm hoping to see something new.

'I want to see the war. I want to see the feelings of both sides, their opinions and hopefully I'll see the critical point of the conflict, if it is to come.'

His jaunt, which only lasted a few days, saw him sharing pictures and videos from a shell-shocked Kyiv, while he hid in bomb shelters.

He claimed to distribute charity to the vulnerable during his efforts and alleged Ukrainian soldiers confused him for a Russian spy.

But as with his ill-fated Afghanistan trip, Miles was accused of exploiting human tragedy for attention.

However, he dismissed those critics and said: 'I'd say I wish them all the best but truthfully they were never my audience and for every seething comment made against me, behind it was my friends and I eating popcorn and laughing at them.

'I'll continue to travel regardless of their opinions, I'll even go back to Afghanistan and there's nothing they can do about it.' 

The self-declared danger tourist has been to Ukraine before, when he visited Chernobyl. He told MailOnline: 'I've been Ukraine before so I'm hoping to see something new'

Mr Routledge has said he has also spent time in Kazakhstan (pictured), South Sudan and Afghanistan

And go back he did. In April 2022, he claimed to have invested £15,000 in a trip to the Taliban-controlled country to rescue a tour guide and his family - but accused the guide of pulling out at the last minute, leaving him stuck.

Miles was forced to beg for money to continue the trip online - which he said was used for charity work in Kabul instead - while posting self-serving status updates about how his life has been 'ruined'.

In one such update last year, he wrote: '[This] means I can't go on a date with a girl I really liked, it means I can't sponsor a joint adventure with my friend, I will go home to an empty room. I am at my end.'

He departed on April 21 - describing himself as 'the only white person on the plane' - before 'walking 25km in a single day' towards his destination.

Four days later he arrived in Pakistan where the plan dramatically fell apart when the 'tour guide' he claimed to be helping pulled out.

Miles claimed he was left stranded in Pakistan after a trip to 'save the lives' of an Afghan tour guide and his family fell apart

Later, the former physics student at Loughborough University, posted videos of himself firing weapons with Taliban fighters

Miles, from Birmingham, boasts to his thousands of followers online that he travels 'to the most dangerous places on Earth for fun'

Mr Routledge (right) had recently returned to Afghanistan, filming videos shooting guns with Taliban troops, despite having to be evacuated from a 'holiday' in the country in 2021

'So bloody p****d, the person I’ve planned to save for seven months lied to me saying the border is closed for British people,' he wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

Later, in September 2022, the 'professional explorer' released clips of his latest trip to Afghanistan, which showed him blasting automatic rifles with a Taliban fighter.  

In the video - which has been watched more than a million times - Miles is seen firing the weapon indiscriminately into the sand flanked by grinning members of the Taliban, or as Miles calls them: 'Good guys.'

Grinning as the recoil hits him in the shoulder, he says: 'I like this', before firing off another round into the sky. 

Later, he shows off a trip to the a weapons market in the city of Jalalabad, a stronghold for terrorists affiliated to Islamic State. 

Other videos on his YouTube channel picture him attempting to spend 48 hours homeless in New York city and touring Uganda.

While in another he filmed himself at the Mexican border as illegal immigrants attempted to cross into the United States.

He captured the moment a family of four Venezuelans – two men and two young children - crossed the Rio Grande River into America.

The men wade through the river carrying the boy and girl on their shoulders as Miles watches from the bank, filming.

‘Oh man, please don’t go bad. I can feel it. This is not a good moment. He’s got kids as well,’ he says.

During one of his videos on his YouTube account, Miles filmed himself at the US/Mexico border and captured the moment a family, reportedly from Venezuela, crossed into America

He records a family of four Venezuela – two men and two young children - who are attempting to cross the Rio Grande River into America

The 'professional explorer' says in the description of one YouTube video, 'I do the most heinous stuff on the planet' and claims to be 'no longer welcome' in Kenya.

He even wrote a book of his experience, titled Lord Miles In Afghanistan, a 'first-hand account of his first and most infamous trip' to the country.

The blurb states: 'Miles experiences a fascinating kaleidoscope of natural beauty, war-torn desolation, poverty, humanity, courage, and generosity.

'He finds himself in many places off the beaten path and meets a colorful range of characters. Throughout it all, his eternal optimism and indomitable faith ensure an invigorating narration for this unique journey.'

In his last video on YouTube before being captured by the Taliban, Miles filmed his journey to the notorious 'Snake Island' off the coast of Brazil. 

The isolated and forbidden Ilha da Queimada Grande is reportedly home to 430,000 serpents - including the deadly golden lancehead viper, which can kill an adult human within minutes. 

In his video, the 23-year-old adventurer sneaked onto the island by boat, dodging coastguard officials, before slipping into a suit of armour to exploring it.  

This Miles says, may have been a step too far. Speaking to the Mail he explained how he had terrifyingly lost control. 

For his latest trip Miles visited Snake Island off the coast of Brazil - a forbidden rock crawling with venomous snakes 

To protect himself Miles wore a full suit of armour which he claims was effective. He posed in the armour on the island (left) and before he arrived there (right)

The danger tourist says it was the only time on his trips he has felt like he lost control, as he was forced to ditch his armour and sprint through the undergrowth unprotected 

He said: 'It’s the most dangerous island in the world after the UK. 

'The snakes there can liquify your insides and their bite is essentially a 100 per cent mortality rate. 

'I walked up the hill in my armour and then was told we had to leave. It would take too long to take my armour so I had to run down without it. 

'I was only dressed in jeans and a t shirt and in foliage up to my neck – I wasn’t in control of the situation at all.'

His adventures have cultivated him a large social media following and he was even interviewed by disgraced influencer Andrew Tate - prior to his arrest on money laundering and people smuggling charges. Tate has since been released on house arrest. 

Keen to cash in on the notoriety of his first trip, Miles released a book in which  he makes a series of questionable claims about the events that led up to him 'goofing off' with the SAS units on the night of August 15 2021. 

He writes: 'The soldiers were all tipsy and enjoying themselves and started telling me about what they'd experienced. {..}

'One of them handed me his black plate carrier vest: 'Here put this on.' 

'I put on the body armour, which was weighed down by the magazines stored in the front pockets in addition to the plates. 

'They also handed me a gun, after profuse warnings to keep my finger off the trigger since they didn't unload it. I handed one of them my phone and grinned as he snapped a picture to commemorate the occasion.'

Miles's social media accounts have been silent since he was detained by the Taliban. This is one of the last pictures he shared in February 

When approached by the MailOnline for clarity on the alleged incident, the Ministry of Defence refused to confirm its veracity. 

A spokesman said: 'It has been the policy of successive governments to neither confirm nor deny reports of special forces activity.'

The book titled 'Lord Miles in Afghanistan' contains many more claims about the student's time in Kabul including that he had attempted to hide the fact he was western by using a Burkha as a 'disguise'. 

It also contains statements such as the 'Polish language is nonsense' and that Kabul - where gruesome terror attacks are common- is safer than London. 

Miles - who has said he is estranged from his family - told the Mail that adventuring was now his full-time job which he did with the help of donors who 'liked his work.' 

He explained: 'Most trips like Afghanistan and Ukraine I can do quite cheaply, so between £1000 to £2000 but some bigger ones like Brazil can cost more in the region of £1000. 

'I get the money by fundraising and generous donors who like what I do.'

It is believed he set off on his latest visit to Afghanistan at the end of February and was reportedly arrested on March 2 alongside Polish nationals Adrian Wojcik, 22, and Roman Bilski, 24. 

His mother Mrs Routledge, 64, from Birmingham, told the Daily Mail she usually kept up to date with her son's travels on social media, but he does not appear to have posted online since March 16.

She said: 'I'm distraught. It is so worrying. I just want help to find out what has happened to him and make sure he is OK.

Suella Braverman told Sophy Ridge on Sky News that the UK government would do 'whatever it takes' to ensure the safety of British nationals abroad

'If he is being treated well that is good to hear, as long as he is being well treated. If I can get a message to those who are holding him, I just want to ask them to tell him he has my love and support.'

Mrs Routledge said she had not been contacted by anyone from the Foreign Office.

'I am just desperate to know that he is safe,' she added. 'I don't know who is holding him or where he is'.

Miles is detained alongside a British medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and another man who manages a hotel in Kabul.  

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the  the UK government would 'do whatever it takes to ensure that they're safe'. 

'The government is in negotiations and working hard to ensure people's safety is upheld,' she told Sky News. 

Share or comment on this article: 'Danger tourist' Miles Routledge caught by Taliban 'wanted to find himself' his mother says

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'Roughest landing': Watch video of plane bouncing off runway as it attempts to land at LAX

A Boeing 747 operated by Lufthansa Airlines ran into a couple of bumps as it landed at LAX Airport in Los Angeles.

Video footage of the landing, captured by Airlines Videos Live , shows the aircraft skidding on the runway and then bouncing off the ground as it attempts to land. The plane then takes off again, flying for a few minutes before successfully landing.

"What? Whoa, whoa, whoa," the commentator of the livestream could be heard saying. "We're getting that go around. Holy moly. Wow. That is the roughest landing I think we've ever caught on our broadcast."

A Boeing 747-8 Lufthansa flight was scheduled to land around 1 p.m. ET at LAX after a more than 11-hour flight from Frankfurt, Germany, LAX's website shows.

Columnist: Another Boeing plane issue? Don't fall for the headlines.

No injuries reported

Lufthansa Airlines, in an email statement to USA TODAY, said that Flight LH 456 from Frankfurt to Los Angeles had a "rough landing" Tuesday. 326 passengers and 19 crew members were on board the flight and no injuries were reported.

The airline said the plane later flew back to Frankfurt following "an assessment by the cockpit crew, a consultation with the technical department on site and in Frankfurt and an initial visual inspection," where it will undergo further inspection. Lufthansa did not specify if the plane flew back empty or had passengers on board.

Airline Videos Live captures planes as they take off and land at LAX Airport. The livestream was created in 2019 by Los Angeles TV News photojournalist Kevin Ray, according to the YouTube channel account description .

While Boeing incidents have been in the news in recent months after a series of high-profile incidents , aviation experts maintain you shouldn't worry about flying .

“We don’t have to worry that there’s something systemically wrong with aviation,” Clint Balog, an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, previously told USA TODAY.

Contributing: Staff, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

Watch CBS News

Man dies after setting himself on fire near Trump trial courthouse in NYC

By Graham Kates , Pat Milton , Jericka Duncan

Updated on: April 20, 2024 / 8:38 PM EDT / CBS News

A man who set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway has died, police said. 

Witnesses said that they saw the man — identified by the New York Police Department as 37-year-old Max Azzarello — pour liquid over his head and set himself on fire at 1:39 p.m. local time on Friday. 

In a briefing immediately after the incident, the NYPD said Azzarello, a Florida resident who had arrived in New York City earlier in the week, walked into Collect Pond Park, opened a book bag, and scattered papers and pamphlets on the ground before setting himself ablaze. Police described the materials as "like a conspiracy-theory type of pamphlet." 

Azzarello then fell on a police barrier. Civilians and court officers used coats and extinguishers to try to put out the fire, the NYPD said, and the New York City Fire Department responded, finally extinguishing the fire. 

The FDNY said that Azzarello was transported to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, which has a burn center, in critical condition. 

The NYPD confirmed to CBS News overnight that Azzarello had died on Friday night. 

Four officers who responded to the fire suffered minor injuries.

Azzarello had posted a statement on social media, officials said. Although the incident took place close to the court where Trump's trial is taking place, officials said Azzarello did not appear to be targeting any particular person or group and added that he seemed to be a conspiracy theorist.

One witness described pamphlets that Azzarello threw, apparently while making allegations about New York University.

 "I heard this clattering, and it was those papers that he had flung up in the air," the witness said. "That caught our attention and — caught my attention, anyway ... then he pulled out a can and he poured it over himself. And at that point, I thought, 'Oh ... this is gonna be awful." 

"It happened so fast — what do you do?" another witness said. 

Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at [email protected] or [email protected]

More from CBS News

What it's like to watch Trump's "hush money" trial from inside the courtroom

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2-month-old boy found friday morning after reports of abduction, sapd says, caleb gomez was last seen on april 11 at 10:22 p.m. at 337 breesport street.

Ivan Herrera , Digital Journalist

SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE:

San Antonio police said a 2-month-old baby who was reported as abducted on Thursday was found on Friday morning.

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An AMBER Alert said the boy was found shortly before 11 a.m.

The infant was last seen on April 11.

KSAT has reached out to SAPD to ask whether any arrests were made.

Caleb Gomez was last seen on April 11 at 10:22 p.m. at 337 Breesport Street in North San Antonio.

Caleb is 1 foot tall, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Marisa Pena, 42, and Eddie Gomez, 51, are suspected of abducting the child. They’re believed to be in a white 2009 Chevrolet Silverado with California license plate number 8J47725.

Pena is 5 feet 4 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes. Gomez is 5 feet 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.

Caleb is believed to be in grave or immediate danger, according to police. Call SAPD at 210-207-7660 if you have any information.

Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ivan herrera.

Ivan Herrera has worked as a journalist in San Antonio since 2016. His work for KSAT 12 and KSAT.com includes covering breaking news of the day, as well as producing Q&As and content for the "South Texas Pride" and "KSAT Money" series.