Leaving ISIS: Is Redemption Possible?

In 2014, Tareena Shakil, then 24, made a decision that would change her life forever. She secretly left the UK, telling her family she was on holiday, and travelled with her young son to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State. Within months she found herself in the heart of the extremist stronghold — and later fled to Turkey before returning to the UK, where she was arrested and became one of the first British women to be convicted for membership of ISIS and encouraging terrorism.

Shakil was sentenced to six years in prison but was released after serving half her term. In the years since, she has publicly expressed regret for her actions, accepted responsibility for lying about her journey when first questioned by police, and described her experience as a time when she “lost her way”.

In this edition of Heart & Soul, Rajeev Gupta meets Tareena in Birmingham as she reflects on a path that took her from belief to extremism — and the long, difficult process of finding her footing again. In candid conversation, she explores how identity, faith, family and the search for meaning intersected in the decisions she made, and what she believes now about forgiveness and moving forward.

Presenter: Rajeev Gupta
Producer: Matt O’Donoghue
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno