Invisible Martyrs by Farhana Qazi

 

Farhana Qazi is the first ever Muslim woman working in US counter terrorism institutions, but first and foremost, her pioneering work was to focus on personal stories in addition to psychological profiles of women who chose to get involved in terrorism radical movements and ultimately, in suicide terrorist attacks. 

Invisible Martyrs. Inside the Secret World of Female Islamic Radicals is an interesting read - available as audiobook read by the author herself as well - as it puts the women involved in extremism act on the map of radical/extremist movements. 

She outlines several times, based on her own experiences in commenting various religious texts that Muslim women involved in such acts represent a small amount of the religious women as ´most Muslim women practice Islam peacefully´. However, since the 1970s onwards there is an increasing number of women fighting ´their oppressors´, alongside with men, and her mother, involved in various militant actions in the Kashmir, may be an example in this respect. 

Abu Musab al-Zarkawi was the first to encourage women to sacrifice for extremist political actions, but women were at certain extents already present in the field since the late 1980s. 

Qazi arguments and informations, also supported by other researchers in the field, such as Mia Bloom, who is also quoted in the book, is that women are alongside with men able to get involved in various militant episodes. They may be manipulated by men often, as accomplice or lover of men involved in terrorism. They can accompany them to death or do it for the sake of them and the promise of a heaven.

The important conclusion is that there are no general patterns and psychological profiles of women, but circumstances may be significantly important. Individual stories shared in the book of girls marginalized or being outside parental control - or maybe under a too stricter such control - can only diversify the angles and perspectives to consider in such situations.

The book is rich in examples and methods, making easier for researchers in the field to navigate a relatively new but increasingly important area of study. It offers guidance and directions, but given the novely of the area of study and the scarcity of current knowledge in this respect, I may expect different takes and conclusions for the time being. The merit of the book is nevertheless significant.

Rating: 4.5 stars

´In the Skin of a Jihadist´

By using a fake Facebook account, journalist Anna Erelle (for security and safety reasons, a pseudonym) tried the traps of the digital Jihadist propaganda. In the Skin of a Jihadist is her encounter as a pretender Islam convert based in France, a girl called Melodie, as she was flirting online with Bilel, the right hand of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Daesh leader.

The initial aim was trying to understand the roots of digital Jihad, how young, often Western, girls and boys from the West are falling into the traps of the propaganda. How they cannot be horrified by the violent videos shared generously all over the social media channels? The distorted religious interpretations they are fed with do appeal a certain need of respect and balance for a loneliness and lack of belonging. 

´Melodie´ was easily caught into the net of macho pride and religious self-rightneousness. The fighter, who happen to have at least another wife, was at ease sharing information about the latest fights, as well as about the smuggling networks operating at the border between Turkey and Syria. 

What in my opinion, although the book has interesting testimonies about the psychology of the people involved in designing the Islamic state, it lacks details regarding the operations of the Jihad 2.0. Although it is hilarious to be shared details about how such a high profile Daesh fighter was longing for the fine lingerie distributed in the corrupt West, and the naive hurry of getting married online with a woman he hardly knew - despite the complex counter-spionage like teams Daesh used to have - I had the feeling that the author went way too much involved in the so-called romance. She haven´t fell in love, Gd forbid, but there is way too much space dedicated to the story instead of exploring a bit more the modus operandi, the agents and tools.

From the journalistic point of view, the book may also raise questions regarding the use of such methods in order to obtain information. We may be happy to read about such relevant details, but is this the real way to get it? Was it not possible to obtain them any other way?

In the Skin of a Jihadist by Anna Erelle - against whom there is a fatwa decision issued online - despite its shortcomings, is an important source of information about the mix between extreme movements and sophisticated online strategies, compromised by the very human feelings, such as longing for love, belonging and maybe some fine capitalist lingerie.