Terrifying tactics ISIS use to tempt girls to leave everything and move to Syria
ISIS bride Shamima Begum has dominated the headlines over the past few weeks as people passionately debate whether she should be allowed back into the UK.
The 19-year-old, who gave birth to a baby boy earlier this month, left her east London home to move to Syria in 2015 when she was just 15, and has spent the last few years living in a refugee camp in the north of the country.
Her story has led to many questions about how Shamima and her two friends were tempted to leave their entire lives behind to join ISIS.
Jacinta Carroll, a researcher at Australian National University’s National Security College, has spoken about some of the techniques and methods used to persuade women.
While her research doesn’t focus on Shamima’s case in particular, it is a general overview of the techniques used on some occasions.
Speaking on MamaMia ‘s podcast The Quicky, she said ISIS is very good at honing in on the natural desire all teens and youths have for justice.
She believes that those who move over normally feel strongly about a particular issue and typically come from a family or group which feels there is some kind of injustice.
She said: “Most of us in our youth and teens and early 20s have a strong sense of social justice and trying to create a new world. Islamic State was very effective at capturing that, honing in on that and of course not leaving it at leading a protest at a school or university.”
She claims that ISIS propaganda creates romanticised version of what life in Syria is like, suggesting woman will fall in love with a “very honourable warrior” and are treated as “protected and respected” princesses.
Helen Powell, research fellow in the programme of extremism at George Washington University, was also on the podcast and said social media is used as a big tool in recruitment.
She speaks about one particular profile of an Australian woman who defends the group’s actions, answers questions about what they do and even offers to find users Jihadist husbands.
Source: Standard Media
