[ April 11, 2026 ]
Well, what magic spell could turn a sweet, timid, quiet Christian into a violent, devout ISIS savage?
UK: “Meek and mild” convert to Islam supposedly turned violent and hateful by Islamic State videos
“The Old Bailey heard Watson grew up in Liverpool before converting to Islam and becoming ‘quickly radicalised’ after watching Isis videos online in 2015.”
ADVERTISEMENTThis assumes that Watson converted to a benign and peaceful form of Islam, and only turned violent after he chanced to see these Islamic State videos. Now, I’ve seen quite a few Islamic State videos, and I find them repulsive to the point of nausea, interesting only for their indefatigable use of the Qur’an and Sunnah to justify every atrocity and to inspire other Muslims to join the Islamic State or imitate it wherever they are. What may account for Ismail Watson’s different reaction? Could it be that he was attracted to the Islamic State precisely by its Islamic case for its actions?
The question British authorities should ask themselves (but won’t) is this: if Ismail Watson learned a benign, peaceful version of Islam at the mosque where he converted, why wasn’t he able to recognize the Islam of the ISIS videos as a twisted, hijacked version of the true, peaceful teachings of the religion, and reject it accordingly? If Islam is truly a religion of peace, as British authorities believe and demand that everyone believe on pain of criminal prosecution (for Britons) and banning from the country (for foreigners), why wasn’t Ismail Watson easily able to counter the false Islam he found online? The falsity of ISIS’ Islam ought to have been obvious, no?
“Online videos turned ‘meek’ Muslim convert into would-be Isil fighter who hated Britain, court hears,” Telegraph, August 8, 2017:
Online videos turned a ‘meek and mild’ Muslim convert into a would-be Isil fighter who hated Britain, a court has heard.
ADVERTISEMENTIsmael Watson, formerly known as Jack, has admitted flying to Turkey and trying to cross the border into the war-torn country to fight with the death cult between 1 January 2016 and 23 February this year….
But he denies preparing to commit acts of terrorism, claiming the UK’s courts have no authority over him.
The Old Bailey heard Watson grew up in Liverpool before converting to Islam and becoming “quickly radicalised” after watching Isis videos online in 2015.
Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow, QC, said said Watson’s chats with undercover agents on encrypted messaging app Telegram “reveal the extent of his hatred for Western society and his avowed intent to take part in terrorist atrocities”.
“There is no doubt that had he succeeded in his attempt to enter Syria he would have joined IS and that he would have fought for them,” he added.
“He eventually admitted that this had been his plan and he admitted that he wanted to fight in what he believes is a holy war against the western oppressors.”
Jurors heard that none of Watson’s family are Muslims.
ADVERTISEMENTMr Glasgow said: ‘He is described by his mother as “meek, mild and easily influenced”, but following his conversion he grew increasingly distant from his immediate family.’
Watson married Sharmina Begum at the Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham in September 2015, but he became so radical that she left him in January 2016 after they moved to the West Midlands.
“He started to watch IS videos and listening to lectures about jihad,” said Mr Glasgow….
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