How three women duped ISIS of Rs 2 lakh

The ISIS or Islamic State may be one of the most feared terrorist organisations in the world, but that hasn’t stopped three Chechen women from duping the organisation of thousands of dollars (almost Rs 2 lakh) by posing as potential brides. The women in question are now being held by Russian authorities on charges of suspected fraud. Russian website Life News, reported that the scam took place on social networks, where the women would contact ISIS militants and send them pictures.

One of the women, Maryam, involved in the scam told Life News: "He began to lure me, saying: 'Do you want to come to Syria, [it is] very good.' I told him that I had no money," she said. This led to the militant sending her 10,000 roubles (US$ 168 or Rs 10,768). But after she received the money, she deleted her social media accounts, set up new ones and started speaking to other ISIS militants. The three women made $3100 (Rs 1.9 lakh) before they were caught by police.

The woman, who talked to Life News, said she had actually considered the journey at one point, but decided not to go after she heard stories about other women who had made similar journeys. The women can face up to six years in prison or/and a fine if convicted of fraud.

"I don't recall any precedent like this one in Chechnya, probably because nobody digs deep enough in that direction," police officer Valery Zolotaryov told the Moskovskii Komsomolets website. "Anyhow, I don't advise anyone to communicate with dangerous criminals, especially for grabbing quick money."

Why women join the ISIS

Young women, from various nations, often join the IS to be jihadi brides but that’s not the only reason. According to a report released by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King’s College London, other reasons include perceived anger over the persecution of Muslims, the wish to belong to a sisterhood with similar beliefs and the desire to fight alongside ISIS fighters. The report’s authors, Erin Saltman and Melanie Smith, argue that the West must understand the varied motivations of women joining the IS, if they are to prevent them from joining the militants.

"They're not being taken seriously," Smith said. "It's inherently dangerous to label people with the same brush."

The researchers believe that the term ‘jihadi bride’ is an oversimplification from the media’s point of view while the women in question see their journey more as a religious pilgrimage to create an Islamic utopia. While many of them would like to fight alongside the male recruits, the group’s rigid interpretation of Islam relegates them to domestic roles. The study also showed that women are playing a crucial role in by using social media to bring in more recruits.
 
"The propaganda is dangerous," Smith said. "It draws vulnerable or 'at risk' individuals into extremist ideologies ... simplifying world conflicts into good versus evil which allows someone the opportunity of being the 'hero' - an empowering narrative for a disenfranchised, disengaged individual."

Many of these young women, adolescents even, often see the IS as a ‘safe haven for those who wish to fully embrace and support Islam’. The authors of the report went through social media accounts of more than 100 female profiles. The profiles often talked about the camaraderie that exists among ISIS sisters, as opposed to the feeling of seclusion in Western societies. 

The stark reality is sadly different, and many women who follow them talk about the problems they face – lack of electricity, water shortages, cold winters and lack of healthcare services. "These anecdotes serve to disprove the idea of the well-integrated, utopian society that is so strongly emphasised by ISIS propaganda," the researchers said.