Jesse Morton: The Jihadi Who Changed His Mind
A former radical jihadi changed his mind and is now speaking out against extremism.
The Briefing Room · BBC Radio 4
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Show Notes
Jesse Morton was once a radical jihadi involved in the American offshoot of the banned British extremist group Al-Muhajiroun.
Al-Muhajiroun's leader, Anjem Choudary, was convicted of inviting others to support the so-called Islamic State, and is awaiting sentencing. And Morton himself crossed the line and was sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison for making violent threats in America. But while he was locked up, Morton underwent a profound transformation and is now speaking out against Islamic extremism.
Morton, who is now free and working at a think tank at George Washington University, talks to David Aaronovitch about how he was seduced by jihadi ideology, how he snared others with radical interpretations of Islamic texts, and eventually how he came to see the errors in his own thinking and is working to repair the damage he caused along the way.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Jesse Morton Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent
PRODUCER: Mike Wendling EDITOR: Innes Bowen
PHOTO CREDIT: Al Drago/New York Times/Redux/Eyevine