Posing with an AK47 assault rifle over each shoulder, this British student has been named as a 'senior Islamic State commander' responsible for recruiting hundreds of his countrymen. Nicknamed 'al-Britani Afro' because of his hairstyle, rapper Raphael Hostey, 22, has allegedly been instrumental in luring Britons to become fighters or jihadi brides in Syria. The news came as a shock to his neighbours, who remembered him as an innocent-looking 12-year-old boy obsessed with Manchester United. Menacing: A masked Raphael Hostey, 22, brandishes AK47s in a photo on Twitter while wearing a floppy hat . Fresh faced: Hostey was remembered by his neighbours in Moss Side, Manchester, as an innocent boy . Just a few years later he would shun his British upbringing and leave his wife and child to join IS. Posting raps about jihad on Twitter, he has urged young women considering joining IS to 'come as soon as possible'. Hostey's identity was revealed by an alleged Syrian double agent arrested in Turkey, who was involved in recruiting the three teenage girls from east London who flew to Syria last month. Hostey left behind a wife and child to travel to the country in 2013 with two friends, Mohammed Javeed and Khalil Raoufi, both 20. All three were students at Liverpool John Moores University. Javeed and Raoufi are thought to have died in fighting. Hostey, from Moss Side in Manchester, is known among jihadis for his afro hairdo. Under the name Abu Qaqa, he is thought to have used social media to lure many more British recruits to IS, including jihadi brides. In raps posted on Twitter, he has urged video game-loving followers to stop playing 'Call of Duty and Fifa' and come 'to the khalifa' (or head of a Muslim state). He also posed wearing a floppy fisherman's hat with his face covered and assault rifles on each shoulder. Commander: Under the name Abu Qaqa, he is thought to have used social media to lure  British recruits to IS . Football fan: Hostey was remembered as a 12-year-old boy who was obsessed by Manchester United . Since travelling to Syria, he is believed to have risen to the rank of senior commander. Hostey was injured in fighting but has not come home and still brags of his exploits on social media sites. On Tumblr he told 'a sister in London' to contact him privately when she asked for advice on life under IS. Born Raphel Saiho Hostey, he preferred to be known by the more anglicised name Raphael. Yesterday, neighbours said he 'loved playing football with other local lads'. They also revealed his family home was raided by police in September, with officers searching it for days. Siful Khan, 27, who lived opposite the red-brick semi for 15 years, said he was 'shocked' to hear about Hostey's alleged activities, adding: 'He used to wear a Manchester United shirt. He loved them.'
Rapper Raphael Hostey, 22, allegedly involved in luring Britons to Syria . Using name Abu Qaqa, been instrumental in getting recruits to join ISIS . Hostey was remembered as innocent-looking 12-year-old Man United fan . Left behind a wife and child to travel with two friends from university . All three who went to Syria were at Liverpool John Moores university .