A teenage American woman who planned to travel to Syria to join Islamic State has returned home, casting doubt on claims that all Isis 'brides' are trapped once they arrive. The woman, identified only as Karen, flew to Istanbul with the intention of crossing into Isis territory to marry a fighter she had met online.
Karen, a recent convert to Islam, had been drawn to Isis by what she saw as their authenticity and distance from Western society. She communicated with the fighter, using the alias Abu Muhammad, and made plans to travel to Syria via a bus from Istanbul to Urfa. However, she became uneasy when his text messages turned increasingly sexual.
‘This was not how pious jihadis were supposed to behave,’ she later told a journalist. After two days in Turkey, she decided not to proceed and flew home. ‘I took great photos of Istanbul,’ she added.
Her story contradicts the narrative that Western women who join Isis are immediately trapped and unable to return. Karen’s decision to abort her journey highlights the role of online grooming and the disillusionment that can occur before physical travel.
