Jihad: A British Story by Deeyah Khan. Film screening and panel discussion

From the Free Word webpage:

Join us for a screening of Deeyah Khan’s powerful film, Jihad, which explores the roots of Islamic radicalisation in the UK. The screening will be followed by a discussion, involving Deeyah and some of those featured in Jihad, chaired by lawyer and cabinet minister Sayeeda Warsi.

The film was screened at a similar event at Fritt Ord in Oslo on 25 August 2015. Please email info@freewordcentre.com for seat reservations.

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Spending two years with some of the leading figures in the British jihad movement from previous generations, Deeyah Khan secured emotional and raw testimony from former extremists, learning first hand what it can be like to be drawn into radicalisation. She meets one of the founding fathers of the British jihad movement who went abroad to fight and who preached extremism to thousands of young Muslims across the UK and the West.

Deeyah’s search for answers takes her to the streets in modern-day Britain, where she meets young Muslims who, caught between extremism and the War on Terror, feel angry and alienated. These young Muslims face issues of discrimination, identity crisis and rejection by both mainstream society as well as by their own communities and families. But in surprising moments of insight and enlightenment, Deeyah also finds hope and some possible answers to the complex situation we find ourselves in.

“Anyone wishing to understand why thousands of Western-born Muslims are leaving comfortable homes to fight with Isis would do well to watch Deeyah Khan’s powerful new film.”

- Independent

“I wanted to make a film that goes beyond the usual conversations around radicalisation… I wanted to look at the human face of this topic and the personal stories behind the stereotypes. No one is born a terrorist, but the route to become one is surprisingly easy. We need to listen to those who have been there, and those who have made their way back.”

- Deeyah Khan

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Sayeeda Warsi is a lawyer, a businesswoman, a campaigner and a cabinet minister but she is best known for being the first Muslim to serve in a British cabinet. In 2010 she was appointed Chairman of the Conservative party and Minister without Portfolio in cabinet. In 2012 she became Senior Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Minister for Faith and Communities. She resigned in 2014 citing the government’s morally indefensible policy on Gaza. In 2015/16 she was named by the Royal Strategic Studies Centre as 1 of 500 of the most influential Muslims in the world.

Deeyah Khan is an award-winning Norwegian film director, music producer, composer and human rights defender of Punjabi and Pashtun descent. She is the founder and CEO of production company Fuuse. Deeyah is the recipient of several awards for her work supporting freedom of expression; in 2012, she was awarded the Ossietzky prize by Norwegian PEN.

Alyas Karmani is an Imam and Khateeb at a number of Mosques in the North of England and across the UK. He was the head of Race Equality for the Welsh Assembly Government in 2004 and is currently a consultant for West Yorkshire and London probation services in relation to resettlement and reintegration of Muslim offenders. Alyas has a psychology background, including 20 years of experience in counseling and therapy work focusing on Muslim-centred mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Shaykh Abu Muntasir is the Founder and Chief Executive of JIMAS, a Muslim educational charity that works to create a greater understanding about Islam amongst both Muslims and people of other faith and no faith backgrounds. Shaykh is the serving Academic Director for theSacred Sciences Curriculum, delivering courses in his specialisations of Seerah, Hadith, Ihsan studies and Muslim family life.

Munir Zamir works within the NGO sector as a trainer, facilitator and creator of counter-extremism expertise and knowledge. He has worked internationally and specialises in the creation and dissemination of online counter-extremism. Munir also conducts analysis and research into trends within extremism and terrorism related issues. A teacher by profession, Munir has a Masters degree in Terrorism Studies and has worked extensively in the public sector within education, youth work and inclusion.