Jihadi John and London's Culture of Gang Violence - Assignment Example

Ismail Einashe wrote the article “Jihadi John and London's culture of gang violence” that seeks to establish what is pushing and drawing young Muslims in London into joining ISIS. The article notes that the fractured environments that young Muslims live in and the alienation they face in London motivate them to join London’s gang culture and later radical Islamist groups like ISIS. The author achieves this by analyzing how Mohammed Emwazi alias Jihadi John joined London’s gang culture and later grew to become the IS executioner (Einashe 1).

In the recent past, many young British women had joined ISIS. Mohammed Emwazi alias Jihadi John is an example of a self-proclaimed British young Muslim who has joined the ISIS where he is now an IS executioner. Mohammed Emwazi grew up in a highly populated and poverty-stricken city with high levels of shootings, drug wars, and gang violence (Einashe 1). Mohammed Emwazi grew up in a middle class background and poverty does not appear to have motivated him to join radical groups. Mohammed Emwazi joined “London Boys” that was a criminal gang in north-west London that engaged in violent robberies to support the extremists, Al-Shabaab (Einashe 1).

Recently, extremists have been associating with organized criminal gangs like the London Boys. Emwazi grew up in North London and turned to drugs, gangs, and violence to escape from alienation that young Muslims experienced in London (Einashe 1). Indeed, Muslim prison population has been increasing where 27 % of all prisoners in London are Muslims (Einashe 1). Emwazi listened to radical preachers and attended their rallies that helped him to understand his Islamic identity. Radical Islam lures young Muslims since it creates a sense of brotherhood.

Joining the criminal gangs and later the radical Islamist group, ISIS helped Emwazi and like-minded people to overcome tribal differences and escape uncertainty (Einashe 1).Apparently, the article, Jihadi John and London's culture of gang violence establishes what is pushing and drawing young Muslims in London into joining ISIS. The fractured environments that young Muslims live in push young Muslims in London into joining ISIS. The gang experiences that young Muslims gain in living in areas with high levels of shootings, drug wars, and gang violence derives the courage to join and support the activities of ISIS (Einashe 1).

These criminal gangs support the activities of radical Islamist groups. Moreover, the alienation experienced by the young Muslims living in London draws them to join ISIS. Young Muslims join ISIS to escape from disillusionment and feeling of rootlessness. Radical Islamist groups seem to accommodate the views and contributions of the disenfranchised Muslims.Additionally, radical preachers draw young Muslims join ISIS by helping them to understand their Islamic identity and origin. The Islamic identity supports ISIS principles and activities like execution (Einashe 1).

The transition of ex-gangs into radical Islamists draws the large Muslim prison population into joining ISIS. The young Muslims believe that ISIS offers the softest landing for ex-gangs. The sense of brotherhood offered by radical Islam entices young Muslims join ISIS since it promises to overcome tribal differences and connect all Muslims (Einashe 1). The ISIS enables the uncertain and disillusioned young Muslims to do something important with their lives. Moreover, an Islam ideology encourages young Muslims to become extremists with the promise of getting virgin girls.

Works CitedEinashe, Ismail. “Jihadi John and London's culture of gang violence.” Prospect magazine, 13 March 2015. Web. 18 March 2015.