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In the history of jihadist terrorism, female figures have been in a subordinate position to men: predominantly their role has been one of logistical, economic, political or moral support.
The female presence has taken on a different dimension as the communication of Islamist-linked extremist groups has evolved by entering active propaganda and recruitment roles, while the presence in the field has mainly taken the form of moral police officers.
From the Al-Khansa Brigades in Syria and Umm al-Rayan in Iraq to Iran, which has shown the world, with the story of Masha Amini, how the moral police operate using women within the Islamic Republic. The case of this girl sparked international consternation and generated chain protests in Iran against the government and the violent practices being carried out.
In the context of female recruitment to radical Islam in the West, it is possible to glimpse how this constitutes one of the ambitious projects of the jihadist cause. The penetration by Islamic extremism into the stronghold West, with the aim of disrupting its cultural order by exploiting immigration as a Trojan horse, is the highest challenge to be faced by a faltering Europe that does not seem to have understood the strong demand of the electorate to end the invasion.
The forms of welcoming put in place and the impossibility of taking a rigid and shared line against illegal immigration have been a tool for this project of “colonization,” combined with the opportunities provided by global communication.
A dead-end street
There are common elements in the ways of approaching the jihadist cause in the West, in particular, a form of propaganda capable of taking root in individuals with deep social distress is proposed for young girls. Recruitment in Western countries takes place through sharing the idea of poetic jihadism and the role that women are promised once they embrace the cause of jihad.
The idea of becoming part of something greater by marrying a future martyr or being included in the project of a new world appeals to individuals seeking a position in society.
The first contact is made through networking or through direct acquaintance with other radicalized people in the area, the women who are approached and subsequently follow the process of conversion to Islam experience a condition of isolation, present an anger at Western society that is described by recruiters as inconclusive in protecting rights. In the contact stages these women are offered the chance to become part of a reality in which they will be exalted in the role of woman, bride and mother.
These promises then turn into a different situation from the one hoped for, women leave their homes and lives to pursue the dream of purification through radical Islam, once they arrive in the recruitment territories they are given in marriage to members of terrorist groups at best, at worst they end up as bargaining chips among the same groups. Others after radicalization continue their stay in Western countries acting as recruiters or participating as support in planned actions in the territory where they live or in the territories of neighboring countries. Those who remain in the West follow sharia rules, wear the veil and educate their children in radical Islam. [1 - to be continued]
Photo: CC 2.0 by SA NC Patrick Rasenberg
A graduate in Political Science and International Relations from Niccolò Cusano University, she is currently attending the Master's Degree in Middle East Analyst at the same university. She has taken various in-depth courses on Sub-Saharan Africa and international terrorism.
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