At the age of 20, Hoda Muthana from the US state of Alabama turned her back on her family and joined the terrorist group “Islamic State” – eight years later, the Native American protested that she bitterly regretted this step. She is currently being held in a detention center in Syria, after her US citizenship was revoked several years ago. Nevertheless, she hopes to be able to return to her homeland soon.
About four years ago, the terrorist militia lost its last territories in Syria and countless IS fighters and their families were imprisoned. So did Muthana. She is one of 65,000 people held in Kurdish camps. Now she hopes for mercy from the US authorities – she regrets everything, except for her son, who is of primary school age.
„If I have to go to jail, I will”
The now 28-year-old joined the extremist group in 2014. She explained in an interview that she was brainwashed by online smugglers. During her time with IS, she had a child with one of the militia fighters. In 2019 she fled permanently from one of the last IS enclaves. She is aware that any return home will not be easy. “If I have to go to prison, I will. (…) I will not fight it,” Muthana said in the Al-Roj camp. “I hope my government sees me as someone who was young and naive at the time.”
In 2015, she promoted IS on Twitter
It is not the first time that the young woman has hoped for mercy from the American authorities. A few years before her escape, when IS was at the height of its power, she emerged on social media and in interviews as an enthusiastic supporter of the terrorist militia. In 2015, she called on Americans to join IS and participate in attacks in the United States via her Twitter account. Now she says she did not write these tweets herself, but that they were sent by IS supporters.
In 2016, her citizenship was stripped by the then US government under Barack Obama. The subsequent administration under Donald Trump also refused her return. A year ago, the Supreme Court in Washington refused to hear her lawsuit for permission to enter the United States.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
