Battling extremism: A mother's lament for a radicalised son
In November 2015 Nicola Benyahia's son Rasheed was killed fighting with Islamic State group militants in Iraq. Since this life-changing event Benyahia has established an anti-radicalisation charity aimed at tackling extremism through early intervention, re-integration programmes, and providing counselling and support to people that have been through similar experiences to her.
In a cafe in Birmingham's New Street station Nicola Benyahia sits close to a window. Generic acoustic covers of popular chart hits play from the coffee shop's sound-system, as commuters pass by under a moody sky. Taking a moment Benyahia begins to recall her son Rasheed, a palpable quiver of emotion in her voice.
"Until the end I was desperate to get my son back," says Benyahia - a counsellor and mother of five - with a slight sigh.
"Before he died, he contacted me on WhatsApp to say that he had been 'summoned'. I knew this meant that he was going to be sent to fight.
"Everyone grieves differently, but because of the shame it was incredibly difficult."
Rasheed Benyahia was one of around 850 people that have travelled from the UK to join the Islamic State group and other jihadist organisations since Syria's civil conflict broke out in 2011.
He was killed on November 20, 2015.
An airstrike targeting Islamic State group militants on the rocky slopes of Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq ended his life, along with several others.
Benyahia went public about her son's radicalisation a year later.
She set up Families for Life, an anti-radicalisation charity aimed at tackling extremism through early intervention, re-integration programmes, and providing counselling and support to people that have been through similar experiences to her.
(To continue reading please follow the link: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/indepth/2017/2/17/battling-extremism-a-mothers-lament-for-a-radicalised-son)
