To not understand why someone from the UK with a British education would want to join an extremist organisation

[Wowthishurtsalot]

I don't understand it. Moreso if they are 2nd and older generation British who could have conversations with their elders as to why they emigrated to the UK and the hope they had when they came here.

What is the attraction?

AesSedai: It was almost impossible to leave the IRA and UDA.

The Quakers did a lot of work in Ulster helping men get out of the IRA or UDA by providing safe houses and new identities.

The Quakers are uncorruptible and therefore trustworthy.

I'm also slightly puzzled how young teens get the money and the passport to head off to Syria.
Lots of kids have passports
an easyjet flight to Antalya is less than £50 off peak and the bus to the Syrian border is under £10
how many young men in this country could not rustle up £100?

The Quakers did a lot of work in Ulster helping men get out of the IRA or UDA by providing safe houses and new identities.

I wonder if they will do the same in the Isis strongholds?

Jews have an unpleasant habit of killing children? (That is an outrageous thing to say by the way.)

I was merely responding to a PP who was suggesting that only Muslims carried out horrific acts on others. Obviously this is ridiculous and incorrect.

And just as all Muslims do not support ISIS, all Christians do not support anti-balaka, and all Jews do not support the actions of Israel.

The OP asked a genuine question. I don't think allowing the thread to descend to anti-semitism reflects well on MN.

But Islamophobia is ok?

I don't think allowing the thread to descend to anti-Islamic feeling reflects well on MN.

It is people from all backgrounds and maybe 'disillusionment' is closer to the truth than marginalisation.

This is interesting;

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b042m637/my-brother-the-terrorist

yes what Janine said - the OP is asking about the attraction of extremism to young people ...that would include groups from all faiths and political views

Quakers are wonderful - they looked after the Greenham women so well - myself included one wet and windy night

Bodhranbae, good question.

Well OP you say they "could have conversations with their elders as to why they emigrated to the UK", but as a PP rightly pointed out the west isn't exactly squeaky clean given Guantanamo and its illegal/immoral wars.

Maybe instead of growing up listening to grandpa tell them how great Britain is because they were saved from living in their nasty homeland, they grew up being told about how their homeland was being destroyed and their people tortured in the 'War on Terror'.

The Americans have committed quite a few atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan. They tend to try to cover them up and not broadcast them to the world.

Woo - Yup.

In order to join any of the 3 foreign volunteer elements of the Israeli Defence Forces you must be younger than 23 and male.
For the Mahal programme women must be younger than 20.
I think one of the programmes accepts boys of 15 if accompanied by a relative.

Depressing.

Yes I deliberately kept it neutral to avoid tainting any one group or side as every part of the world has its extremist organisations.

I agree lettice it could work both ways but if they say we oppressed them (which we have done with many places!) why move here? I can understand someone emigrating to america for arguments sake and feeding a child anti British sentiment

If you had strong views about the western treatment of Palestinians or similar wouldn't you just move to a muslim country to be with people with similar views.

Or maybe these countries are too corrupt or whatever compared to the comfortable life they have in the uk. So they should in that case be grateful but instead decide to bite the hand that feeds them. Not so great for the rest of us.

I don't think the illegal Iraq war helped. In fact it probably started it.

Guantanamo Bay doesn't help. The torture of terrorist suspects carried out by the USA, but it doesn't seem to be illegal because it is in a US Naval Base in Cuba

I live in Mexico, where injustice is rampant (a month ago 43 teaching students were carried off and presumed killed by the authorities as per usual, for no imaginable reason) and there is no viable opposition party that has not been corrupted, besides there is widespread fraud in the elections. If I were younger, I would probably want to take up a gun.

In the UK where 3 million people taking to the streets against the illegal Iraq war made not one iota of difference to the decision of a so-called democratic government, and even the BBC seems to be promoting a racist agenda, etc. etc., I can again understand the rage of young people. And, unfortunately taking up arms is a lot easier than working on oneself and one's community to make a sea change in the way the world is going.

So they should in that case be grateful but instead decide to bite the hand that feeds them

So much privilege in there. Ugh.

I think talking about Israel isn't really appropriate because no one is fighting for/about Judaism, iyswim? It isn't a religious war. It's about land and territory, not forcibly converting people etc.

Don't see many Christian or Catholics hopping off to blow stuff up.

Men or women

Also, it's clearly not just to do with Islam. Sure, it's Muslim extremism happening now, but people have been joining up for their religion for centuries, millennia, all the people who fought in the Crusades for example. Usually young men who are keen to prove themselves as strong or want other people to respect them, and want to be part of a group and feel accepted and supported. Fighting gives you recognition, is an adrenaline rush and makes you feel like you're changing the world, which is what most young people look for, I think?

WRT ISIS there was an article in today's Herald about a boy who was executed as he was caught by ISIS and refused to join them - so it isn't always a choice. (Although that was in Turkey)

This is quote interesting about girls joining ISIS
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/29/schoolgirl-jihadis-female-islamists-leaving-home-join-isis-iraq-syria

This is also worth a read.
www.newstatesman.com/2014/10/portsmouth-kobane

It seems social media plays a large part. Showing it as an adventure that anyone can take part in. I'm sure generalised Islamaphobia both in the UK and worldwide also provide also plays a part.

Yes current political happenings have made me wonder more but throughtout my childhood/adolescence were stories of the IRA, basque terrorist bombings, Tamil fighters, Chechnya, Bosnia...same issue different causes. Still young people signing their lives away.

Hateful post MistressMia.

I think the hate's on the other side. I don't hate - I'm just pissed off and exasperated.