The article jihadi john and london's culture of gang violence

Intelligence Article  Summary The article “ Jihadi John and Londons culture of gang violence” posted on the Prospect magazine on March 13, 2015 discusses what is pushing and drawing young Muslims in London into joining ISIS. The author, Ismail Einashe analyzes the life of Mohammed Emwazi alias Jihadi John who joined London’s gang culture and later became the IS executioner (Einashe 1). The author reckons that gang experience, Islamic identity, and the alienation faced by young Muslims living in London motivates young British men to join London’s gang culture and later radical Islamist groups that offer a sense of brotherhood.
Description
Recently, many young Muslims living in London had joined ISIS. For example, Mohammed Emwazi alias Jihadi John has joined the ISIS where he is now an IS executioner. Mohammed Emwazi grew up in a fractured environment with high population, immense poverty, and high levels of crime like shootings, drug wars, and gang violence (Einashe 1). Emwazi’s parents were middle class citizens and hence poverty may not have motivated the young British Muslim join radical Islamists groups. Emwazi was a member of the “ London Boys” a criminal gang that operated in north-west London with an ultimate goal of financing radical Islamists groups.
In the recent past, radical Islamists groups have been interacting with organized criminal gangs like the London Boys. Just like some other young Muslims in London, Emwazi joined the London Boys to escape from the alienation experienced in London (Einashe 1). Even the police mistreated and suspected young Muslims of crime leading to the increasing Muslim prison in London where 27 % of all prisoners are Muslims (Einashe 1). Radical preachers and their rallies helped Emwazi to understand his Islamic identity. Radical Islamists groups create a sense of brotherhood and unites Muslims thus attracting many young Muslims like Emwazi. The article notes that radical Islamist group like ISIS helped Emwazi and his peers to overcome tribal differences, escape uncertainty, and value their lives (Einashe 1).
Analysis
The article establishes that fractured environments that host young Muslims in London push them into joining ISIS. Gang experiences characterized by high levels of shootings, drug wars, and gang violence encourage young Muslims to join and support radical Islamist groups like. Additionally, alienating young Muslims in fractured environments in London pushes them to join ISIS. Indeed, young Muslims join radical Islamist groups to run from disillusionment and lack of a sense of belonging. ISIS recognizes the opinion efforts of the alienated Muslims.
The presence and contribution of radical preachers draw young Muslims to join radical Islamist groups by helping them to understand their Islamic identity and ideology. Moreover, the ex-gangs that transited into radical Islamists encourage the large Muslim prison population to join radical Islamist groups like ISIS. The radical Islamist groups seek to overcome tribal differences and unite all Muslims that derive a sense of brotherhood, which entices young Muslims living in London. The ideology that participating in extremists activities guarantees virgin girls to young Muslims men draws them to join ISIS. Radical Islamist groups also allow young Muslims realize the value of their lives.
Works Cited
Einashe, Ismail. “ Jihadi John and Londons culture of gang violence.” Prospect magazine, 13 March 2015. Web. 18 March 2015.