My Journey into the Heart of Terror
 Ten Days in the Islamic State | |
| Author | Jürgen Todenhöfer |
|---|---|
| Original title | Inside IS - 10 Tage im 'Islamischen Staat' |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Published | Greystone Books |
Publication date | 2015 |
Published in English | 2016 |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 978-1-77164-224-8 (Hardcover) |
My Journey into the Heart of Terror: Ten Days in the Islamic State is a 2016 memoir by German journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer. Todenhöfer was the first western journalist to travel to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), alternatively known as ISIL, to find out the cause of the fighting in Iraq and Syria.[1][2] He describes the experience he and his son went through during the journey in his memoir. Todenhöfer rejects the description 'Islamic terrorism' and considers the acts of ISIS fighters as non-Islamic.[3]
Author[edit]
Jürgen Todenhöfer is a German journalist, and a former judge and politician. He had previously met with leaders of the Mujahedeen in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan and the Taliban and al-Qaeda. He also visited Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria, several times in 2012.[2]
Journey to ISIS self-proclaimed caliphate[edit]
In the summer of 2014, Todenhӧfer sent a message on Facebook to more than 80 German ISIS soldiers asking whether he could visit the ISIS fighting cadre. His goal was to understand the motivations of ISIS.[2] On September 9, Abu Qatadah, a 31-year-old German, answered the message. They had Skype discussions for several months. Finally, Todenhӧfer received a document from the Caliphate guaranteeing his safety.[2] In October 2014, Todenhӧfer became the first western journalist to travel to ISIS-controlled territory. He was accompanied by his filmmaker son, Frederic.[1]
Todenhöfer wrote that he stayed with an ISIS soldier who was armed with a Kalashnikov rifle. The soldier told him that he was sure to return home alive because ISIS wanted to be accepted as a state, so he had the guarantee of safety from their leadership. Todenhӧfer spent most of his time in Mosul, Iraq but he also visited ISIS-controlled cities in Syria such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Staff Writer (27 November 2015). "I know Isis fighters. Western bombs falling on Raqqa will fill them with joy Jürgen Todenhöfer". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d Shute, Joe (9 April 2016). "Our journey into jihad: the father and son who braved the dark heart of Isis". Telegraph. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ Staff Writer (25 December 2015). "Some interesting parts of Ten days with ISIS (Persian)". mehrnews. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ Frankman, Ellen; Raphael, T.J. "Meet The Man Who Spent 10 Days With ISIS and Lived to Tell About It". wnyc. Retrieved 7 April 2016.