The Shamima Begum Story is a documentary film that aims to shed light on the events surrounding Shamima’s decision to join ISIS. At the age of 15, Begum left her home and moved to Syria with her friends to join the extremist group. The documentary provides insight into Shamima Begum’s perspective on her actions, exploring her motivations, thought process, and experiences while living under ISIS rule. It also delves into the circumstances that led her to make such a radical decision at such a young age.
Despite expressing her desire to return to the UK in subsequent interviews, the UK government made the controversial decision to annul Shamima Begum’s citizenship to safeguard the country against various security concerns. The government justified this action by labeling her as a potential threat and associating her with a terrorist organization.
Spoilers Ahead
How Was Shamima Manipulated To Join ISIS?
The formation of the caliphate marked a significant turning point for Shamima Begum and her friends, particularly those influenced by Shamima’s best friend, Sharmeena. Sharmeena played a manipulative role in persuading them to leave the UK, exploiting their vulnerabilities and painting a distorted picture of life in the UK as Islamophobic. Initially, Shamima seemed less interested in Sharmeena’s ideas, but when Sharmeena decided to leave her alone, the dynamics shifted. Sharmeena continued to manipulate Shamima, as well as the other two girls, Kadiza and Amira, even from within ISIS.
This manipulation and contact within the extremist group kept the girls connected to Sharmeena’s influence, making it difficult for them to break away. The influence of Sharmeena cannot be underestimated. She effectively created an illusion, convincing the girls that by joining ISIS, they would be able to live a religious life without any boundaries. This illusion appealed to their desire, as Shamima and her friends were too naive to have their own opinions at the time.
How Did Shamima Reach Syria?
In February 2015, Shamima Begum, along with her friends Kadiza and Amira, embarked on a journey that would lead them to Syria. After leaving their homes, they made their way to Turkey, maintaining communication with ISIS members throughout their entire flight. Once they arrived in Turkey, the girls were instructed to wait at the Istanbul bus station for the arrival of a smuggler. They spent a whole day waiting for the opportune moment to move forward. Eventually, the time came, and they boarded a coach that took them to Gaziantep, a city in southeastern Turkey.
Upon reaching Gaziantep, the three girls were separated and guided through a series of car changes- a total of seven- to elude detection. This intricate process of changing vehicles aimed to ensure their safe passage into Syria without drawing attention. Finally, they arrived in Syria, where Shamima, Kadiza, and Amira were taken to a madafa, a reception center or shelter filled with unmarried women. The presence of hundreds of unmarried women in the madafa suggests that there were likely other individuals like Shamima and her friends who had been smuggled into Syria or had voluntarily traveled there to join ISIS. The madafa might have provided some initial support and accommodation for these women before they were assigned specific roles or integrated into the ISIS-controlled territories.
Why Did Shamima Get Married?
As time went on, Shamima Begum grew weary of the conditions at the madafa, finding them inconvenient and unclean. Seeking a way to escape and gain more freedom, she considered marriage as a potential solution. Within the context of ISIS, getting married was seen as a means of gaining independence from the restrictions of the madafa. When Shamima expressed her interest in marriage, ISIS members arranged for her to be paired with a fighter named Yado Riedijk. The marriage took place immediately, as the concept of getting to know someone before marriage was not prevalent within ISIS. It is worth noting that this lack of traditional courtship allowed for expedited marriages based on shared ideologies or mutual agreement.
Yado Riedijk’s ideals were characterized as stereotypical and orthodox. Despite Shamima’s young age- she was only 15 years old at the time- Yado, who was 21 years old, was willing to marry her because it aligned with Shamima’s own wishes. Yado likely expected Shamima to be obedient and fulfill the responsibilities associated with being his wife, adhering to his expectations of a traditional marital dynamic.
Why Did Shamima Change Her Opinion About Joining ISIS?
To this day, Shamima Begum expresses regret for her decision to join ISIS, as it has brought about numerous hardships in her life. Following Yado’s arrest just ten days into their marriage, their relationship took a turn for the worse and became abusive. Despite the challenges, Shamima found solace and happiness through her children. However, the situation worsened when the city of Raqqa, where Shamima was residing, was heavily bombarded by the United States. The airstrikes made the city uninhabitable and led to a severe shortage of food and essential supplies. In this dire environment, Shamima faced unimaginable difficulties.
Tragically, Shamima experienced the heartbreak of losing her son and later her eldest daughter due to malnutrition and sickness. The scarcity of resources and the harsh conditions in Raqqa contributed to the vulnerability and suffering of Shamima’s children, ultimately resulting in their untimely deaths. When Shamima Begum was in her eighth month of pregnancy with her third child, she made the decision to leave Raqqa with her husband. They embarked on a long and arduous journey, walking for days while following the paths of various Syrian and Iraqi individuals. Eventually, their paths intersected with soldiers, leading to Yado’s arrest and Shamima’s transfer to the Al-Hol camp.
However, a significant turning point occurred when Shamima crossed paths with Anthony Loyd, a special correspondent from The Times. During their conversation, Shamima’s identity as one of the three missing girls became apparent to Anthony.
Did Shamima Realize Her Mistakes?
Shamima Begum’s primary motivation for wanting to return to the UK was to ensure the safety and well-being of her newborn son. However, during this time, the journalists who interviewed Shamima seemed less concerned about her health and more focused on questioning and probing her decisions and actions. The devastating turning point came when Shamima tragically lost her son to pneumonia. This heartbreaking loss compounded the already overwhelming challenges she faced. Over the course of six months, she had to endure a multitude of hardships, including negative public opinion from around the world, an abusive husband, the devastating loss of three of her children, and the subsequent cancellation of her British citizenship.
The negative opinions and judgments from the global community placed an additional burden on Shamima, making her feel isolated and condemned. The media scrutiny that Shamima faced further exacerbated her already difficult circumstances, adding to the emotional and psychological toll she was experiencing.
‘The Shamima Begum Story’ Ending
The story of Shamima Begum is indeed complex and raises important questions regarding accountability and the consequences of one’s actions. The question of whether she has suffered enough or deserves forgiveness is subjective and open to interpretation. On the one hand, Shamima acknowledges her grave mistake in joining ISIS and recognizes the atrocities committed by the group. Shamima claims that she was not directly involved in weapon training or recruitment, but she understands that being part of such an organization inherently carries responsibility for the violence and harm inflicted on innocent people.
There are differing opinions among the public regarding Shamima’s situation. Some argue that she must be held accountable for her actions, believing that her involvement with ISIS should prevent her from returning to her home country. Others argue for empathy and support, recognizing her as a young person who was vulnerable to radicalization and may still have the potential to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. Ultimately, it is a complex moral and ethical issue that depends on personal values and the consideration of various factors surrounding Shamima’s case.