I'm Not a Monster BBC Podcasts

What happened to the girl Shamima Begum says convinced her to join the Islamic State group?

Less than 24 hours before this episode was published ,we got the answer.

Reporter: Josh Baker
Written and produced by: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinators: Janet Staples and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

This episode contains some strong language

Episode 10 will be available on Wednesday March 22nd

No longer a vulnerable schoolgirl, but a seemingly unrepentant adult. Shamima Begum enrages the British public and ends up stuck in Syria.

A series of media interviews come to shape how she’s perceived - with long lasting consequences.

Reporter: Josh Baker
Written and produced by: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinators: Janet Staples and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

ARCHIVE
John Sparks interviews Shammia Begum: Sky News (2019)
Rohit Kachroo interviews Shammia Begum: ITV News (2019)

This episode contains upsetting moments involving children

Raqqa falls, the so-called caliphate crumbles and a pregnant Shamima Begum is desperate to come home.

After she and her husband Yago walk out of the ashes of the Islamic State group, she’s discovered in a detention camp where she gives an interview that will change her life.

Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinators: Janet Staples and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

ARCHIVE:
Islamic State's final fighters hold on in Baghouz as caliphate crumbles: ITV News (2019)
Alex Rossi goes inside the Islamic State's last stand in Baghouz: Sky News (2019)
Anthony Lloyd interviews Shamima Begum: The Times of London (2019)

This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and some upsetting moments involving children.

Someone close to Shamima Begum is looking for a way out of the so-called caliphate.

Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

With her new husband in prison, Shamima Begum is left in the care of a stranger, but who is he? Josh travels to the heart of the former caliphate as he searches for clues and investigates what her life with the Islamic State group was like.

Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins

This episode contains descriptions of violence, sexual violence, and has upsetting content