When the first schoolgirls ran away to Isis I had some sympathy for them — at least, I could see how they’d been suckered in. The girls were young, daft, desperate for a cause. They’d nosed about online, and found the Twitter feeds of jihadi wives who sell Syria as a teenage paradise: all fast food, deathless love, martyrdom and shopping.
Because I felt for those first schoolgirls, I kept following their progress, checking for them online as they set up in Syria, married, and began to tweet themselves. But as I followed them on social media, my sympathy soon turned to disgust.
‘Happy #9/11’ wrote young Zahra Halane, one of the twins from Manchester who fled to Isis last year. ‘Happiest day of my life. Hopefully more to come. InSha Allah #Is.’
Her sister Salma cheered on the Charlie Hebdo massacre: ‘May Allah protect all the mujahideen in Franceeee!!! Shooting was maaaad!!’
Um Ayoub, 16, also from England, listed a few of her favourite things: ‘Vans, Nike, Chelsea FC, beheading Kafirs.
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