VOC News has learned that a young Muslim woman from Port Elizabeth was intercepted at the local airport on Saturday evening, while attempting to depart the country for Turkey to join the radical Islamic State group. According to Attorney Zehir Omar, the young woman was stopped by family members at P.E International Airport, after harboring plans to travel to Syria via Ankara, Turkey. The incident has allegedly not been reported to authorities, due to reluctance on the part of the family. Omar was also reluctant to divulge much information on the girl in question.
According to him, the family came to learn about the situation after interactions with the girl’s sister, who currently resides in Saudi Arabia. It has been claimed that the girl was persuaded to join the radical group following interactions with ISIS operatives via the internet. During these interactions she was allegedly made several promises, including that of marriage upon her arrival in Syria. However, information and proof of these claims remain limited.
Omar has claimed that this is the second such incident in which a local Muslim woman has attempted to join the controversial group.
“Earlier this year a women from the town of Bela Bela, went to and is currently in Syria, and her parents are now fighting for her return,” he suggested, adding that chances of such a return were remote, due to group’s harsh policies on those attempting to leave it’s self-styled ‘caliphate’.
Omar said it was imperative he come forward with the reports, so as to serve as a warning to the community against joining ISIS. He stressed that the ideologies shared by the group were not in any way to the benefit of Muslims around the globe.
And despite a global lack of information as to ISIS formation, Omar suggested the group were a product of the ruling ‘Saud family’ of Saudi Arabia, aimed at protecting its continued rule in the region.
“The continued operations of IS in the Middle East justifies the continued military presence of American forces in the Middle East. The reason for the retention of forces is to shift the balance of power in favor of NATO in the Middle East, and to reassure the Saud family that the risk of them being toppled is remote,” he suggested.
VOC News is still attempting to verify the claims. VOC (Mubeen Banderker)
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Posted as received:
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Assalaamu Alaykum
To whom it may concern
This statement is in response to the suggestion made by advocate, Zehir Omar, with regards to my presence in Syria.
Alhamdulillah, I am not part of the group who calls themselves ISIS. I have not taken bay’at to anyone here. Yes, Allah has blessed me with the opportunity to teach in the blessed land of Shaam, and despite the war situation here, I grabbed the chance with both hands as it has always been my desire to live in the area described by Nabi (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) as blessed.
I had married here in order to facilitate my way with regards to a mahram, as I did not want to travel in a way contrary to what Allah has prescribed. My husband has no ties to the party known as Dawlah or ISIS, nor do we wish to be part of them. We find their dealings with certain matters as extreme. A case in point is the burning of the Jordanian pilot and the taking of prisoners as slaves. We do not agree with these and many other matters.
My parents would love to have me safely back in South Africa, but this lifestyle is beloved to me, alhamdulillah. Death is a reality we face daily, but we forget about it in South Africa. The lifestyle here is simple and uncomplicated. The love amongst Muslims is unconditional. The eagerness to encourage good and forbid evil is amazing.
It’s not perfect because no life of this world is perfect. There’s the sirens which warn us of approaching barrel bombs. There’s the worry everytime our husbands or family leave the home that they won’t return. But all this is part of the reward and the pros far outweigh the cons. If I had the chance, I would come again alhamdulillah.
Most people across the world assume Syria is just made up of ISIS. I have only met two sisters whose husbands were pro-ISIS during my stay here and even their husbands are not fighting for ISIS yet, although they’re convinced that it’s the way to go. What sets ISIS apart is their love for fame. Anything they consider newsworthy gets videoed and published. They have the finances for this, which many other Ahlus Sunnah groups do not have. I have heard of numerous people who have joined them and wish to leave but do not have an out card anymore.
This does not mean that the other groups are weak. There are some strong, practising groups who are trying their best to encourage Shariah rule and fight for the deen without being too harsh against the believers. Those who remember that Allah says: “and if you were harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” I make du’aa that Allah gives victory to those mujaahideen who are most pleasing to him.
As for myself, my decision not to return to South Africa is one made by myself, not a group or ideology that I am part of, for I am not affiliated with any group. I feel closer to Allah here and I feel that I am doing something, even though it be as simple as teaching, for the Muslims here. The people are in great need of Islamic education.
Lastly, I request that those who oppose the migration of South African citizens to Syria, do not make it difficult for others by portraying these people as lovers of ISIS. Most especially, be considerate of the families we have left behind, who had no part in what we do but end up bearing the brunt of false rumours.
JazaakAllahu khayran
Wassalaam
Sister from Bela-Bela