Shamima Begum looked unrecognizable as she appeared for an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Shamima, 22, who fled the UK at 15 to become an ISIS bride, spoke from Syria with long flowing hair and a dark baseball cap, having ditched her hijab.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&client=ca-pub-2427099653703778&output=html&h=300&adk=2141876619&adf=667904977&pi=t.aa~a.1834861711~i.11~rp.4&w=360&lmt=1631701192&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4779063894&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F2021%2F9%2Fformer-isis-bride-shamima-begum-begs-uk-for-forgiveness-after-ditching-hijab-for-nike-cap-and-long-hair.html&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=275&rw=330&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEI8LOGigYQzu6ujsHN2NvXARJIAC8xr4Xx46PLBSE3bZGpcnfXhzUB14bHbzs6Ti7UVSTeptvjnqj0k2Zh3ursKgi0e502IoHlEtTDN8en3c6Wr13De8wTW9UU&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiOSIsIiIsIkluZmluaXggWDY1MEIiLCI5Mi4wLjQ1MTUuMTE1IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hdHRlc3RhdGlvbi5hbmRyb2lkLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjo3fV0.&dt=1631701192259&bpp=46&bdt=7495&idt=-M&shv=r20210909&mjsv=m202109130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D6f62d75ac2f0c0c6-2251d019a8c80035%3AT%3D1622665487%3ART%3D1622665487%3AS%3DALNI_MZ85Ep3SvTaGfc8Juk8Onrd6Hwi6g&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=2730347321131&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1187515804.1622665486&ga_sid=1631701189&ga_hid=796126662&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=3&u_java=0&u_h=800&u_w=360&u_ah=800&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=980&biw=360&bih=616&scr_x=0&scr_y=67&eid=31062491%2C21067496%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=2859291072485964&pem=777&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C616%2C360%2C616&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=1152&bc=31&jar=2021-09-14-04&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=cAQbBR6fLG&p=https%3A//www.lindaikejisblog.com&dtd=481
While speaking to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Begum denied any knowledge of the horrors caused by the Islamic State when she was one of them.
Begum said that if ISIS arrived at her current camp asking people to join or be killed, that she would rather die than return.
Begum, from East London, has had her British citizenship revoked on the grounds that she is a national security threat. But she remains hopeful that she will return to the UK and help the government in its war against terrorism.
She said: “I think maybe yes there is a chance given the right opportunity and the government changes their mind about me.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&client=ca-pub-2427099653703778&output=html&h=300&adk=2141876619&adf=3366938152&pi=t.aa~a.1834861711~i.31~rp.4&w=360&lmt=1631701192&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4779063894&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F2021%2F9%2Fformer-isis-bride-shamima-begum-begs-uk-for-forgiveness-after-ditching-hijab-for-nike-cap-and-long-hair.html&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=275&rw=330&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEI8LOGigYQzu6ujsHN2NvXARJIAC8xr4Xx46PLBSE3bZGpcnfXhzUB14bHbzs6Ti7UVSTeptvjnqj0k2Zh3ursKgi0e502IoHlEtTDN8en3c6Wr13De8wTW9UU&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiOSIsIiIsIkluZmluaXggWDY1MEIiLCI5Mi4wLjQ1MTUuMTE1IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hdHRlc3RhdGlvbi5hbmRyb2lkLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjo3fV0.&dt=1631701192259&bpp=29&bdt=7495&idt=-M&shv=r20210909&mjsv=m202109130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D6f62d75ac2f0c0c6-2251d019a8c80035%3AT%3D1622665487%3ART%3D1622665487%3AS%3DALNI_MZ85Ep3SvTaGfc8Juk8Onrd6Hwi6g&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300&nras=3&correlator=2730347321131&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1187515804.1622665486&ga_sid=1631701189&ga_hid=796126662&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=3&u_java=0&u_h=800&u_w=360&u_ah=800&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=2069&biw=360&bih=616&scr_x=0&scr_y=67&eid=31062491%2C21067496%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=2859291072485964&pem=777&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C616%2C360%2C616&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=1152&bc=31&jar=2021-09-14-04&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=Qark49mo95&p=https%3A//www.lindaikejisblog.com&dtd=606
When Susanna asked why the British public should forgive her, Begum replied: “Because I made a mistake at a very young age, most young people don’t know what they want to do with their lives.
“I know it’s very hard for the British people to try and forgive me.”
Begum was adamant that she didn’t know how bad ISIS was.
She said: “I thought it was an Islamic community.
“I think yes I was groomed and taken advantage of.
“I did not know that there was war… well I did know there was a war, but not where women and children were living. I did not know that ISIS were trying to take over the world.
“The reason I came to Syria was not for any violent reasons, I did not want to hurt anyone in Syria or anywhere else in the world.”
Ten days after arriving in Syria at the age of 15, Begum married Dutch-born ISIS fighter, Yago Riedijk, and had 3 kids with him but all the kids died. Her youngest child was born in a refugee camp in February 2019 but he died by March 2019.
Asked by GMB hosts why she had decided to stay with ISIS, she said: “Because it was not possible to leave at all, you had to find connections.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&client=ca-pub-2427099653703778&output=html&h=300&adk=2141876619&adf=965097895&pi=t.aa~a.1834861711~i.71~rp.4&w=360&lmt=1631701192&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4779063894&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F2021%2F9%2Fformer-isis-bride-shamima-begum-begs-uk-for-forgiveness-after-ditching-hijab-for-nike-cap-and-long-hair.html&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=275&rw=330&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEI8LOGigYQzu6ujsHN2NvXARJIAC8xr4Xx46PLBSE3bZGpcnfXhzUB14bHbzs6Ti7UVSTeptvjnqj0k2Zh3ursKgi0e502IoHlEtTDN8en3c6Wr13De8wTW9UU&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiOSIsIiIsIkluZmluaXggWDY1MEIiLCI5Mi4wLjQ1MTUuMTE1IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hdHRlc3RhdGlvbi5hbmRyb2lkLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjo3fV0.&dt=1631701192259&bpp=30&bdt=7495&idt=-M&shv=r20210909&mjsv=m202109130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D6f62d75ac2f0c0c6-2251d019a8c80035%3AT%3D1622665487%3ART%3D1622665487%3AS%3DALNI_MZ85Ep3SvTaGfc8Juk8Onrd6Hwi6g&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300%2C360x300&nras=4&correlator=2730347321131&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1187515804.1622665486&ga_sid=1631701189&ga_hid=796126662&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=3&u_java=0&u_h=800&u_w=360&u_ah=800&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=3790&biw=360&bih=616&scr_x=0&scr_y=67&eid=31062491%2C21067496%2C31062297&oid=3&pvsid=2859291072485964&pem=777&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C616%2C360%2C616&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=1152&bc=31&jar=2021-09-14-04&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=3NNvDGUu7Y&p=https%3A//www.lindaikejisblog.com&dtd=658
“My husband, after he came out of prison, he was being watched very closely by ISIS. You also needed to have a lot of money and we didn’t have access to any.”
Begum said she deserves a fair trial in Britain and is prepared to go to jail if found guilty.
When asked what crime she has committed, Begum replied: “The only crime I have committed was being dumb enough to join ISIS.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&client=ca-pub-2427099653703778&output=html&h=300&adk=2141876619&adf=1473400494&pi=t.aa~a.1834861711~i.83~rp.4&w=360&lmt=1631701242&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4779063894&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F2021%2F9%2Fformer-isis-bride-shamima-begum-begs-uk-for-forgiveness-after-ditching-hijab-for-nike-cap-and-long-hair.html&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=275&rw=330&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEI8LOGigYQzu6ujsHN2NvXARJIAC8xr4Xx46PLBSE3bZGpcnfXhzUB14bHbzs6Ti7UVSTeptvjnqj0k2Zh3ursKgi0e502IoHlEtTDN8en3c6Wr13De8wTW9UU&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiOSIsIiIsIkluZmluaXggWDY1MEIiLCI5Mi4wLjQ1MTUuMTE1IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hdHRlc3RhdGlvbi5hbmRyb2lkLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjo3fV0.&dt=1631701191492&bpp=25&bdt=6728&idt=26&shv=r20210909&mjsv=m202109130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D6f62d75ac2f0c0c6-2251d019a8c80035%3AT%3D1622665487%3ART%3D1622665487%3AS%3DALNI_MZ85Ep3SvTaGfc8Juk8Onrd6Hwi6g&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x616%2C360x90%2C360x788%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x300&nras=9&correlator=2730347321131&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1187515804.1622665486&ga_sid=1631701189&ga_hid=796126662&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=3&u_java=0&u_h=800&u_w=360&u_ah=800&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=5148&biw=360&bih=616&scr_x=0&scr_y=818&eid=31062491%2C21067496%2C31062297&oid=3&psts=AGkb-H8-lGwdAjQAg3oMCYaow5AIkdZBJiSrv-Ld-6IC_fF60l22slCvUN1JZg0FcFxXbM4LhcvoD_xVeH80ius63A_UAQtbLlqXie7S80M%2CAGkb-H_L3oZq7W5QIaKUwR7ElGsAKQ_ts6xgSGGmj4UhzpJMUt4ESIlGfmZGPS3c_0upEshFKd2uGUeSAy5T%2CAGkb-H8HE8nqUQeoTlEuJQJM-dNtx-XrvVUciZtqByXsDYt5FcNzJp7-EFz0yUTHdrSugPQasWzhI5zrKmkD%2CAGkb-H9WIOERExkrp86zxIlh8EHZGyrIMGq-xVgzmbfgNixZK9s4Lui981uZ_8q_zYwlHBtfty7m3C0sc4lo%2CAGkb-H9uZw21C1r8MX-bdD7uR9KwT0vzMCeGVLkJBFi2vFoP-Yu15nlD6ORVMkfttOHpxQ8ZFNFuh2XprrGm&pvsid=2859291072485964&pem=777&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C720%2C360%2C720&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&jar=2021-09-14-04&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=7&fsb=1&xpc=eIqrxTAAz9&p=https%3A//www.lindaikejisblog.com&dtd=51477
Asked about her new look and whether it was just a PR exercise, Begum replied: “I have not been wearing a hijab for maybe a year now I took it for myself because I felt it was restrictive.
“It’s just for myself, it’s for no one but myself.”
When asked what she will do now, Begum told the GMB presenters that she can do nothing but wait in the camp and “wallow in my own self pity”.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&client=ca-pub-2427099653703778&output=html&h=300&adk=2141876619&adf=2880600960&pi=t.aa~a.1834861711~i.95~rp.4&w=360&lmt=1631701242&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4779063894&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F2021%2F9%2Fformer-isis-bride-shamima-begum-begs-uk-for-forgiveness-after-ditching-hijab-for-nike-cap-and-long-hair.html&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=275&rw=330&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEI8LOGigYQzu6ujsHN2NvXARJIAC8xr4Xx46PLBSE3bZGpcnfXhzUB14bHbzs6Ti7UVSTeptvjnqj0k2Zh3ursKgi0e502IoHlEtTDN8en3c6Wr13De8wTW9UU&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiOSIsIiIsIkluZmluaXggWDY1MEIiLCI5Mi4wLjQ1MTUuMTE1IixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbF0.&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hdHRlc3RhdGlvbi5hbmRyb2lkLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjo3fV0.&dt=1631701191553&bpp=27&bdt=6789&idt=27&shv=r20210909&mjsv=m202109130101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D6f62d75ac2f0c0c6-2251d019a8c80035%3AT%3D1622665487%3ART%3D1622665487%3AS%3DALNI_MZ85Ep3SvTaGfc8Juk8Onrd6Hwi6g&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x616%2C360x90%2C360x788%2C360x300%2C360x300&nras=8&correlator=2730347321131&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1187515804.1622665486&ga_sid=1631701189&ga_hid=796126662&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=3&u_java=0&u_h=800&u_w=360&u_ah=800&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=5781&biw=360&bih=616&scr_x=0&scr_y=818&eid=31062491%2C21067496%2C31062297&oid=3&psts=AGkb-H8-lGwdAjQAg3oMCYaow5AIkdZBJiSrv-Ld-6IC_fF60l22slCvUN1JZg0FcFxXbM4LhcvoD_xVeH80ius63A_UAQtbLlqXie7S80M%2CAGkb-H_L3oZq7W5QIaKUwR7ElGsAKQ_ts6xgSGGmj4UhzpJMUt4ESIlGfmZGPS3c_0upEshFKd2uGUeSAy5T%2CAGkb-H8HE8nqUQeoTlEuJQJM-dNtx-XrvVUciZtqByXsDYt5FcNzJp7-EFz0yUTHdrSugPQasWzhI5zrKmkD%2CAGkb-H9WIOERExkrp86zxIlh8EHZGyrIMGq-xVgzmbfgNixZK9s4Lui981uZ_8q_zYwlHBtfty7m3C0sc4lo%2CAGkb-H9uZw21C1r8MX-bdD7uR9KwT0vzMCeGVLkJBFi2vFoP-Yu15nlD6ORVMkfttOHpxQ8ZFNFuh2XprrGm&pvsid=2859291072485964&pem=777&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindaikejisblog.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C720%2C360%2C720&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&jar=2021-09-14-04&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=6&fsb=1&xpc=NAGWVq1ahJ&p=https%3A//www.lindaikejisblog.com&dtd=51317
Speaking of Sajid Javid who was the Home Secretary when her citizenship was revoked, Begum said: “If he were to meet me himself, I’m pretty sure he would change his mind.”
She concluded the interview, saying: “No one can hate me more than myself”.
