Shamima Begum said her jihadi husband Shamima has declined to condemn ISIS’s beheadings or use of sexslavs, but he hopes for a caliphate.
Yago Riedijk (199), a Kurdish-run prisoner in northern Syria, spoke out about the couple’s “beautiful” past life as extremists.
He claimed that ISIS’s attacks against the West weren’t ‘Islamicly Responsible’ as they involved the killing of innocent people, which is prohibited in Islam. However, he refused to condemn ISIS’ violence against Yazidis who were used as sex slaves and other Muslims.
Riedijk was also silent about ISIS beheadings. He said only that he couldn’t comment when asked to.
Later, the 29-year old said that he didn’t believe ISIS had been defeated and that he still desired to see an Islamic caliphate.
He smiled as he spoke about married life with Begum in the caliphate and described ‘beautiful memories’ of baking cakes as a family.
Begum, a Dutch extremist, married Begum just days after arriving in Syria in 2015. Begum was 15 years old when she came from East London. Together, the couple had three children, who all died.
Begum is held in the Kurdish-run Refugee Camp al-Roj, northern Syria. This comes amid a continuing struggle to return to Britain after being stripped of her citizenship in Feb 2019.
Riedijk is being held in al-Roj detention centre. Riedijk was sentenced in the Netherlands in 2018 to six years imprisonment for his participation in an extremist group.
Shamima Begum, Riedijk’s daughter, was married to Shamima Beum, just days after arriving in Syria in 2015. She arrived from East London in 2015, at the age of 15, and they had three children.
Begum (pictured) is held in the Kurdish-run Refugee Camp al-Hol, northern Syrian. This happens amid an ongoing fight to get back to the UK.
Riedijk spoke to Alan Duncan who is a Scots veteran and making a documentary about ISIS. He said that he didn’t agree with ISIS’ terror attacks against Germany, France, and the UK, as they were involving killing ‘innocent persons’.
“Personally, these attacks are not right for me because of a few reasons. Islam prohibits the killing of innocent Muslims, children and women.
These attacks are not Islamically responsible, according to me [sic]He said, ”
Riedijk however refused to comment on the Yazidis being attacked by Muslims or Yazidis, who were then sold to ISIS as sexslaves.
ISIS has more than 2,800 Yazidi girls and boys still missing.
Riedijk revealed that he had discussed the possibility of marrying Begum in person with Begum upon her arrival in Syria in 2015.
It was nothing major. You can do small things such as going shopping. She requested some liberties, and I was willing to grant them. Shopping, visiting friends. He said that basic stuff is all you need.
Begum requested a dowry for an English translation, and he accepted.
As Begum gave birth to their second child, Jalah, he smiled as he remembered the family’s baking of cakes for money.
“There were many nice times with my wife, and our children at home. He shared some beautiful memories.
Shamima Begum’s Dutch husband Yago Riedijk has, in prison, described their “beautiful memories” of family life during the ISIS caliphate.
Riedijk, pictured in the Netherlands in 2011, also disclosed that he had discussed the possibility of marriage with Begum upon her arrival in Syria in 2015. They agreed to terms before the couple tied the knot.
Riedijk claimed that it was hard for him to believe Begum went through two miscarriages and then gave birth to his three children. Riedijk spoke out about his first miscarriage and said, “It was difficult for me to bear.” He said, “I’m a family-man, I love my family and I love my children.”
Begum, he added, became pregnant shortly after the first miscarriage and then lost the baby the second time.
According to Begum, he spoke more to Begum than he did to Begum when he was living in the caliphate. However, a 29-year old added that despite being in the caliphate, he still communicated with his family.
Riedijk refused to make any comment on Begum’s views regarding ISIS’s executions and punishments. However, he said that seeing dead bodies on the streets was a disturbing sight and refused to condemn it.
He said, “I cannot really comment.”
He described death as part and parcel of daily living, and blamed the coalition bombing on the deaths of innocent Muslims.
Riedijk was asked if ISIS had been defeated. He later replied that he wanted to see an Islamic caliphate.
Begum was among three Bethnal Green Academy schoolgirls who joined ISIS shortly after Sharmeena Begum (who is not related) travelled to Syria on December 2014.
Kadiza Sultana, 15 and Amira Abase were 16 respectively when they joined Begum for a flight from London, Istanbul, and then made their way to Syria.
Shamima Begum, centre (pictured), was one of three Bethnal Green Academy schoolgirls who joined ISIS in 2015.
Begum, two of her daughters flew from Gatwick to Istanbul. They were then assisted by ISIS terrorists through Turkey to Syria.
Begum, who was 19 years old and pregnant, resurfaced in a Syrian refugee camp early 2019, and stated that she would like to go back to Britain.
She said that she didn’t regret joining ISIS and that it had helped her become stronger and more tougher.
It was clear that she had known the group would execute beheadings or executions long before she went, but she said she wasn’t worried about it.
‘I had my children. I had fun there. She said that things became more difficult and she had to go.
Also, she revealed that Raqqa was her last home in January 2017. However, her two children (a girl aged one and a boy three months old) had since passed away.
Later, the baby boy that she was carrying died at the hands of a Syrian camp. Reports suggest that he suffered from respiratory difficulties.
A dolled up Begum appeared on Good Morning Britain in September and asked the UK public to forgive her and allow her to return.
Begum is currently being held in the al-Roj refugee camps in northern Syria. She is facing ‘dire circumstances’ according to her legal team.
Begum’s case was a topic of great political debate in Britain. Sajid Javid (then home secretary) revoked Begum’s British citizenship in February 2019 on national security grounds.
In 2020, she challenged the decision of the government. The Court of Appeal decided that she could only appeal if allowed into the United Kingdom.
The ruling was later reversed by the Supreme Court and Begum was forbidden from returning to the UK to dispute the matter.
A dolled up Begum appeared on Good Morning Britain in September and asked for forgiveness from the UK public to allow her to return.
Surprisingly, she also offered to assist Boris Johnson in his government’s fight against extremism or terrorism.