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Theme Changer

 Topic: ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group

 (Read 14364 times)
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  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #60 - February 22, 2015, 03:24 PM

    True. Still, is a lot harder to stop individuals than everyone!
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #61 - February 23, 2015, 12:18 AM

    My previous comment was a bit heartless. Since they are so young, you could say they are victims of grooming / brainwashing into a cult-like group. Anyway, they are not in our jurisdiction so it's all academic.

    Someone on facebook wrote this comment which I thought was neat:
    "Age of criminal responsibility 10. Age of sexual consent 16. Age of religious consent... unknown."

    "Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell

    Baloney Detection Kit
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #62 - February 23, 2015, 03:37 AM

    My previous comment was a bit heartless. Since they are so young, you could say they are victims of grooming / brainwashing into a cult-like group. Anyway, they are not in our jurisdiction so it's all academic.

    Someone on facebook wrote this comment which I thought was neat:
    "Age of criminal responsibility 10. Age of sexual consent 16. Age of religious consent... unknown."


    They are still old enough to understand the difference between violent terrorism and peacefully following religion. I was once very religious around 13-15 years of age, even in my most religious days I would never think that terrorism had any place in Islam.

    These girls were not brainwashed by their parents per say, rather they fell victims to online predating by ISIS members. That is their own fault, to allow themselves to be brainwashed into a cult. If it it is that hard for bunch of 17 year old girls to understand that murder, torture, burning people alive, beheading innocent men and women are evil things that does not belong in society, then they are imbeciles and they should be blamed for their stupidity. Most young adults can actually understand all of that is things that don't belong in society or things any sane human would do.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #63 - February 23, 2015, 03:39 AM

    They are still old enough to understand the difference between violent terrorism and peacefully following religion. I was once very religious around 13-15 years of age, even in my most religious days I would never think that terrorism had any place in Islam.

    These girls were not brainwashed by their parents per say, rather they fell victims to online predating by ISIS members. That is their own fault, to allow themselves to be brainwashed into a cult. If it it is that hard for bunch of 17 year old girls to understand that murder, torture, burning people alive, beheading innocent men and women are evil things that does not belong in society, then they are imbeciles and they should be blamed for their stupidity. Most young adults can actually understand all of that is things that don't belong in society or things any sane human would do.

    clap

    Just like Johnny Flynn said, the breath I've taken and the one I must to go on.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #64 - February 23, 2015, 04:07 AM

    They are still old enough to understand the difference between violent terrorism and peacefully following religion. I was once very religious around 13-15 years of age, even in my most religious days I would never think that terrorism had any place in Islam.

    These girls were not brainwashed by their parents per say, rather they fell victims to online predating by ISIS members. That is their own fault, to allow themselves to be brainwashed into a cult. If it it is that hard for bunch of 17 year old girls to understand that murder, torture, burning people alive, beheading innocent men and women are evil things that does not belong in society, then they are imbeciles and they should be blamed for their stupidity. Most young adults can actually understand all of that is things that don't belong in society or things any sane human would do.


    I agree.  I would have some sympathy with them if they'd ran off to join Hamas, or the FARC guerillas, or any number of other groups out there, but ISIS?  Anybody at the age of 15-16 should have the moral sense to be repulsed by people who are posting videos of beheading and burning people alive. 

    "Befriend them not, Oh murtads, and give them neither parrot nor bunny."  - happymurtad's advice on trolls.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #65 - February 23, 2015, 08:09 AM

    Yup. Only thing the community is at fault with is not being open to discussion so there is no counterweight to opinions online by parents, teachers and others. Also no acceptance of debate around the religion either and thought that only religion has morals. Leading to "the other" being seen as bad, and a lack of thought of behaviour as people do what the text literally says as "it's moral right?".
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #66 - February 23, 2015, 08:46 AM

    ^ If these girls were really religiously motivated, I'd agree. But I'd be very surprised if that was the case with them and with most of the Western volunteers.

    For some people, empathy is kind of something you develop over time, and during their early years, the world really seems to revolve around them. If you'll allow me to probably inappropriately project again, I remember watching shock videos and seeing terrible pictures from Iraq when I was younger and being completely unable to really sympathize with them unless I had a whole backstory or something to force me to acknowledge that this was a person and something terrible had happened to them. I tried, and tried the same way when I saw other people suffering closer to home, and it really didn't affect me at all. And now, ten or fewer years later, I ugly cry whenever I see someone else crying. Sometimes, that shit just takes time.

    I'm sure either way, these girls look at the victims as some unimportant "other," and whatever their desires are from daesh, they are more important to them right now than these people, and they're surely easy to dismiss. But it might not be because of religion. I suppose we can't say for sure.

  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #67 - February 23, 2015, 09:05 AM

    Sure, but a situation at home where this kind (above) of reflection does not happen plus their cultural tribal identification with Islam doesn't help.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #68 - February 23, 2015, 09:13 AM

    ^ If these girls were really religiously motivated, I'd agree. But I'd be very surprised if that was the case with them and with most of the Western volunteers.  ...

    then blame should go to  religions, religious  motivations and those who are motivating them ,

    what do these stupid 15 year olds  kids know about religions when  the grown-ups have no idea about them??

    Most of these kids  specially girls  are the result of  Layla and Majnun stories that are gone wrong. Add to that , school pressure, peer pressure, financial problems, family problems brain washed mental disorders   etc..etc..  15 to 20 year old end up with such coltish organizations..

    Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything   
    I renounced my faith to become a kafir, 
    the beloved betrayed me and turned in to  a Muslim
     
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #69 - February 23, 2015, 09:14 AM

    'Syria-bound' London girls: Please come home, families plead

    Quote
    Relatives of the three missing London girls believed to be heading to Syria have pleaded for them to come home.

    Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, travelled to Turkey on Tuesday. It is feared they may be planning to join Islamic State extremists in Syria.

    Shamima's family said they understood she wanted to help those suffering but said Syria was "a dangerous place".

    Kadiza's family said they were "feeling completely distressed".

    Meanwhile the family of a Glasgow woman who travelled to Syria in 2013, who reportedly contacted at least one of the girls on social media, said they were "full of horror and anger" that their daughter may have helped recruit the girls.

    In a statement released through their lawyer, the family of Aqsa Mahmood told her: "You are a disgrace to your family and the people of Scotland, your actions are a perverted and evil distortion of Islam."

    'Complete nightmare'
     
    The three London girls, who all attended Bethnal Green Academy in Tower Hamlets, flew from Gatwick to Turkey on Tuesday after telling their parents they were going out for the day.

    Police said the girls had been interviewed by officers after another girl from their school went to Syria in December, but nothing had indicated they were at risk and their disappearance had come as a great surprise.

    In a statement, Shamima's family said: "We miss you terribly and are extremely worried about you.

    "Syria is a dangerous place and we don't want you to go there. Get in touch with the police and they will help to bring you home.

    Police have issued a description of the three girls:

    Kadiza Sultana is 5ft 6in and slim build. She was wearing black-rimmed glasses, a long black jacket with a hood, a grey striped scarf, a grey jumper and dark red trousers and was carrying a black holdall. She speaks English with a London accent and Bengali
    Shamima Begum is 5ft 7in. She was wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses, a black hijab, a light brown and black leopard-print scarf, a dark red jumper, black trousers and a jacket, and was carrying a dark blue holdall with white straps. She speaks English with a London accent and Bengali
    Amira Abase is 5ft 6in and slim build. She was wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses, a black headscarf, a long dark green jacket with a fur-lined hood, a light yellow long-sleeved top, black trousers and white trainers, and was carrying a black Nike holdall. She speaks English and Amharic
    line
    "We understand that you have strong feelings and want to help those you believe are suffering in Syria.

    "You can help from home, you don't have to put yourself in danger. Please don't cross the border."

    Kadiza's family said: "In your absence, we, as a family, are feeling completely distressed and cannot make sense of why you left home.

    "Due to the speculation that you may be travelling towards Syria, we are extremely worried about your safety."

    The family said they were praying the girls would make contact.

    "We all love you dearly and the last four days have been a complete nightmare not knowing where you are and how you are keeping," they added.

    "We would like to emphasise that we are not angry with you and you have not done anything wrong. We just want you all to return home, safe and sound."

    Amira's family issued a statement pleading with her to come home "as soon as possible".

    "You are strong, smart, beautiful and we are hoping you will make the right decision," they said.

    "We miss you more that you can imagine. We are worried and we want you to think about what you have left behind.

    "You had a bright future, so please return home."

    'More robust'
     
    A friend who went to the same school as the girls, Atlanta Broadbent, told ITV News the girls had been "determined in what they want to do".

    The 16-year-old said: "You couldn't argue with what they were saying.

    "They were that smart they could just make something up on the spot. They were just really hard working, I wouldn't think something like this would happen."

    Earlier, David Cameron said the fight against Islamist extremist terror was "not just one that we can wage by the police and border control".

    "It needs every school, every university, every college, every community to recognise they have a role to play.

    "We all have a role to play in stopping people from having their minds poisoned by this appalling death cult."

    Commons Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz said exit checks must be "more robust in the future" and there needed to be "much closer co-operation" with Turkey in tackling the problem of people travelling through the country to Syria and Iraq.

    Aqsa Mahmood travelled from her home in Glasgow to Syria in November 2013 to marry an IS fighter.

    In a statement her family also said the UK's security services had "serious questions to answer".

    It said: "Aqsa's social media has been monitored since she disappeared over a year ago, yet despite alleged contact between the girls and Aqsa, they failed to stop them from leaving the UK to Turkey, a staging post for Syria.

    "Sadly, despite all the government's rhetoric on Isis, if they can't even take basic steps to stop children leaving to join Isis, what is the point of any new laws?"

    The family also sent a message directly to Aqsa in which they said: "You are killing your family every day with your actions, they are begging you stop if you ever loved them."


    `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
     `Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad.  You're mad.'
     `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
     `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #70 - February 23, 2015, 09:17 AM

    Analysis: Why are Western women joining Islamic State?

    By Dr Katherine Brown
    Lecturer in Defence Studies, King's College London


    Quote
    Recent news stories, such as those of the missing school girl Yusra Hussien, university student Aqsa Mahmood and twins Salma and Zahra Halane, have triggered concerns about the radicalisation of Muslim women in the UK.

    It's estimated that some 50-60 women from the UK have travelled to Syria via Turkey to join the militant extremist movement Islamic State (IS). On arrival they join others from a range of countries, including the US, Austria, France, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway and Sweden. Just why are women from these Western countries joining up?

    In the case of Yusra Hussien, it is unclear whether she has been radicalised or indeed whether she has even travelled to Syria (although police believe this to be likely).

    For many of the others, their stories are available on social media - on Twitter, tumblr, LinkedIn, and ask.fm.

    From these stories, it is clear that the influence of social media networks is considerable. They offer the women advice, support, help with travel, and are a source of propaganda for IS, presenting idealised notions of an Islamic life and jihad.

    Initially a significant number of women travelling to Syria went to join their husbands, who were already fighting for IS.

    For example, Khadijah Dare - the 22-year-old woman from south London who notoriously tweeted that she wanted to be the first female jihadi to kill a Western hostage - went to live in Syria after arranging to marry a Swedish IS fighter, Abu Bakr.

    'Jihadi brides'
     
    In these cases, family is an important facilitator for their journey.

    In other cases, such as those reported recently, online networks facilitate their travel and help co-ordinate them with expat communities once they arrive. International travel is accessible and affordable, and made easier by this online planning.

    The notion of "jihadi brides" travelling to Syria to marry IS fighters has gained currency in recent reports in the western media.

    Families in France whose daughters have gone to Syria have received phone calls from Syrian men asking for their daughters' hands in marriage, and the online accounts of male fighters seem bombarded by requests from women wanting to be their wives.

    Mia Bloom from the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell provocatively argued that women are seen as little more than "baby factories" in the desire to populate the new "purist" Islamic state.

    However this does not mean the young women simply want to find a husband. The "jihadi bride" concept is only part of the story.

    There is another side to their decision to travel. Women are joining IS because it provides a new utopian politics - participating in jihad and being part of the creation of a new Islamic state.

    Violence and domesticity
     
    The leader of IS has attempted to recast the movement away from just one of fighters, and called for doctors, engineers, and builders to join them in creating a pure Islamic state.

    There is great deal of romanticism in women's accounts about being part of this political project with a new version of a political Islamic "good life" built upon a particular idea of Islam and Sharia law.

    In this new 'state', women have all kinds of jobs and functions. For example, in the Syrian city of Raqqa they can join the so-called Al-Khansaa brigade, the all-female moral "police force" allegedly set up by a British woman.

    There are images of women carrying AK47's, wearing a suicide belt and holding a severed head. But they are also cooking, making Nutella pancakes, doing housework, meeting each other for coffee, and being mothers and carers.

    It is this combination of violence and domesticity that many find jarring. A female Malaysian medic, now known as Umm al-Baraa, tweeted in January: "Stethoscope around my neck and kalash on my shoulder. Martyrdom is my highest dream".

    These, then, are the political drivers which pull some Muslim women towards IS. But there are push factors too.

    Naive romanticism
     
    The perceived failure of Western states to give young Muslims a sense of belonging, purpose and value as Muslims and citizens is striking in the online accounts of these women jihadis.

    In an instance of this, one Dutch woman in Syria called Khadija (speaking to the US-based website Al-Monitor) said: "I always wanted to live under Sharia. In Europe, this will never happen."

    The women talk about the failings of Western societies, speak negatively about restrictions on how they can practise Islam (for example, the ban on wearing the burqa in France), and criticise the political system.

    Yet paradoxically, while quotes from the Koran are woven into their accounts, there is very little sign of deep knowledge about the conflict itself, or indeed about Sharia law or Islam.

    The stories of the women who have travelled from Western countries to Syria to join IS highlight the combination of political and personal reasons behind their decision. But they also indicate that their motivation is characterised by a naive romanticism.


    Dr Katherine Brown is a lecturer in the Defence Studies Department at King's College London. In her work, she has examined the roles and portrayal of women in terrorism, counter-terrorism, and violent politics, and investigated Muslim women's radicalised political activism

    `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
     `Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad.  You're mad.'
     `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
     `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #71 - February 23, 2015, 09:22 AM

    Sure, but a situation at home where this kind (above) of reflection does not happen plus their cultural tribal identification with Islam doesn't help.


    Yeah, I just wonder if even if they had grown up, and perhaps they did, with lessons that it is never okay to do this kind of thing to people and taught to be moral individuals, which most Muslims living in the West at least over here are (I find that many young Muslims here actually do not really know much about the scripture either way?), this might still have happened.

    I don't think these young people are flocking to Syria and Iraq because they think God wants them to most of the time. I wonder if religion is often an excuse for them because it lends to obtaining something they already desired. I think that's more clear when it's someone who recently converted. But whether it was all religion or not or somewhere in between, I guess we won't know with these girls?
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #72 - February 23, 2015, 09:27 AM

    I think the salafi element in the UK plays a part. I can't recall a home grown terrorist who wasn't a sunni.

    `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
     `Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad.  You're mad.'
     `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
     `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #73 - February 23, 2015, 09:34 AM

    ^ Although...there are just a ton of Sunnis.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #74 - February 23, 2015, 09:37 AM

    True, but bears thinking about.

    `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
     `Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad.  You're mad.'
     `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
     `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #75 - February 23, 2015, 10:44 AM

    families of those girls...........

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuWn10-6_ag


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5CJflyQqik


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZOIXYlMOSA

    Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything   
    I renounced my faith to become a kafir, 
    the beloved betrayed me and turned in to  a Muslim
     
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #76 - February 24, 2015, 05:14 PM

    Three UK girls 'taken into Syria'

    1 min ago

    Three British girls taken from Turkey into Syria 4-5 days ago by people smugglers, BBC understands

    http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31612666
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #77 - February 24, 2015, 05:15 PM

    One with glasses - per's comment from tv report
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #78 - February 24, 2015, 07:30 PM

    Oh dear...that's probably the last we'll hear of them....until Daesh issue a statement saying a British plane bombed them (they do seem to like their ready made examples of ironic tragedy). I'd bet anything the girls are already regretting it, especially the youngest. I feel so sorry for their parents too. This is such a crazy world....it's all the Internet's fault! Cry

    Ha Ha.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #79 - February 24, 2015, 07:35 PM

    ..............it's all the Internet's fault! Cry

    Jack., with or without internet such frustrated kids go into such places  but without internet no one will know anything about them .  including their parents would have been blind on there whereabouts..

    Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything   
    I renounced my faith to become a kafir, 
    the beloved betrayed me and turned in to  a Muslim
     
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #80 - February 24, 2015, 07:42 PM

    Also sources combatting the ideologies.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #81 - February 25, 2015, 06:16 PM

    It's heartbreaking to see their parents, relatives. As a parent myself it really is.

    However I caught some remarks as:
    typical teenager, we value hijab as part as our life style

    How can a girl wearing hijab can be a typical British teenager? That's kind of nonsense, for me at least. Even now this parents don't understand where the problem is... That they are to be blamed because they raised their kids religious despite seeing how appealing ISIS and radical Islam are especially to the young religious Muslims. I really cannot blame girls at this age for this. If these parents would have raised their kids promoting secularism and integration with Non Muslims, there will have been far less chances for this to happen. If is something ISIS is good at, is to show how much better is to raise your kids in a secular or non religious open way and how bad is to indoctrinate kids with religion.

    Sorry, I see how much they suffer but they should realize where the problem is.
     
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #82 - February 25, 2015, 06:22 PM

    If I lure a 15 year old girl across the country (or from Britain) to exploit her I'm a creep (15 is the age of consent here FYI - but you can only EXPLOIT people legally when they are 18 so. Doing that when they are younger would bring you into a very grey zone if the lured person turns on you)

    If I do the same from Raqqa it is her own fault.

    ISIS. The '69 of the '15 wacko

    Danish Never-Moose adopted by the kind people on the CEMB-forum
    Ex-Muslim chat (Unaffliated with CEMB). Safari users: Use "#ex-muslims" as the channel name. CEMB chat thread.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #83 - February 25, 2015, 06:24 PM

    How can a girl wearing hijab can be a typical British teenager? That's kind of nonsense, for me at least.


    Yes. It is.

    Danish Never-Moose adopted by the kind people on the CEMB-forum
    Ex-Muslim chat (Unaffliated with CEMB). Safari users: Use "#ex-muslims" as the channel name. CEMB chat thread.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #84 - February 25, 2015, 06:40 PM

    Jack., with or without internet such frustrated kids go into such places  but without internet no one will know anything about them .  including their parents would have been blind on there whereabouts..


    I wasn't really being serious when I said that, but then again, I don't think this would have been possible so quickly without the social media, youtube etc, and the speed of their take over is what has surprised/attracted/frightened everyone. Nothing could have happened in such a short space of time, in such numbers ever before, so in a sense, it is because of the WWW whistling2

    Ha Ha.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #85 - February 25, 2015, 10:04 PM

    Yeah I don't think that these girls are any more blameworthy than someone who is seduced by an adult online.  Because that is, after all, exactly what happened here. 

    Just very sad.  Indoctrination of children into religions can have serious consequences, something that we forget too often.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #86 - February 27, 2015, 10:13 AM

    I'm confused.  What should I feel towards these girls, sympathy or anger?

    I'm reasonably content that reason, and increasingly science, demonstrates that free will is a myth.  Every human action is just a result of a near-infinite group of events that have gone before.  There is no ghost in the machine and no one is truly responsible for their actions.  However, it is inevitable and necessary for human society that we pretend everyone does have free will.  Given this, it is natural that we distinguish between the acts of an adult and a child.

    We all susbcribe to some loose concept of rational behaviour, that which preserves ourselves and/or society.  But children can't be trusted to act rationally so, we accept, they can't be held fully accountable for their actions.  It is a near-insurmountable problem to judge each individual's degree of adulthood, let alone what constitutes a sufficient degree, so we set a largely arbitrary age for it.  While this number is constantly debated and refined, I think people would agree that most 15, 16 and 17 year-olds have a pretty limited degree of intellectual development and sense of responsibility.  Given this, I tell myself I should feel sympathy towards the girls.  But I can't.

    These are children that watched other humans be beheaded, burned alive, thrown off buildings, apparently with approval.  These girls may believe that the aide workers and journalists were spies.  For all I know they may believe Alan Henning was in Syria to kill muslim children.  After all they are stupid, naive, foolish children themselves.

    But whatever they believe, they have watched sadistic murders of other humans and decided they were noble acts, things worthy of support.  A child like that has no place in my scheme of things.  I think the world will be a better place after their deaths.  And despite myself, I can't feel any sympathy for what lies in wait for them.

    "Professor Richard Dawkins was put there by god to test us.  Like fossils.  And facts."  Stewart Lee
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #87 - February 27, 2015, 12:09 PM

    Just very sad.  Indoctrination of children into religions can have serious consequences, something that we forget too often.


    Yep. It's about time this was taken on board a bit more seriously. I think in a few years time attitudes will have changed, I hope so anyway.

     I'm not too sure about this idea that all these people have been 'radicalised' by others, can't it simply be that they find an ideology/cause that 'fits' them (at whatever age), and although they might receive input/encouragement from others, it's down to them really where they go with it. It would appear that anything 'good' that happens in someone's life is down to their hard work and focus, anything 'bad', and they were brainwashed.

    Ha Ha.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #88 - February 27, 2015, 01:17 PM

    I do think that by far most of them haven't grown up in an environment supporting salafi jihadism, usually that's what most experts say. Also, there's a disproportionate number of salafi jihadis in the west who are converts to Islam.
  • ISIS Recruits: 3 Schoolgirls Flee Home to Join Terror Group
     Reply #89 - February 28, 2015, 06:45 AM

    Yeah I don't think that these girls are any more blameworthy than someone who is seduced by an adult online.  Because that is, after all, exactly what happened here. 

    Unlike other online predators who attempt to build feelings of love in the victim towards them without a ton of baggage the victim is aware of, the islamic state openly commit war crimes, religious cleansing, torture, rape, slavery and genocide. I can honesty say that I would not have been able to overlook that at 15.

    `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
     `Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad.  You're mad.'
     `How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
     `You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
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