I Was An Islamic Extremist (Season 3, Ep 6)

What's it like to be radicalised? How do young British men set out to murder their fellow citizens in the name of 'jihad'? And, once committed to that course, can there ever be a route back? Former extremist Adam Deen spent much of his youth as a member of Al-Muhajiroun, the notorious terrorist organisation lead by Omar Bakri Muhammad. For years he believed in the foundation of a UK Islamic state, and was prepared to participate in whatever course of action his leader said was necessary to achieve that goal. In this extraordinary interview with Olly Mann, he recalls his journey into Islamic extremism, considers the cost for his loved ones, and warns against future generations following his lead. Adam is nowadays the Managing Director of The Quilliam Foundation, a think tank aiming to challenge extremist narratives while advocating pluralistic, democratic alternatives. Find out more about their work at quilliamfoundation.org. Elsewhere in the episode, Ollie Peart considers 'anti-tech tech' start-ups Pause and DistractaGone in this week's Zeitgeist, predicts a Winter trend for men's ballet-wear, and the death of 'inspirational' wall-quotes. Say it's not so? Keep Calm and Carry On, folks... And, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox considers the terminology of 'queer' porn, has some useful advice about where (not) to store your rubbers, and advises a listener who's the same height as his partner which sexual positions provide the best 'angle of dangle'. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.Com - remember to use the code 'FOXHOLE' at Checkout for a frankly astonishing 15% Off. Last but not least, our record of the week is 'A 1000 Times' from the album 'I Had A Dream That You Were Mine', by Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam. It’s out now on Glassnote Records. Remember, we can only make this show with your support. If you value independent podcasting and want to keep us on the road, just click 'Beer Money' on our website, modernmann.co.uk. Thanks - and we'll See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Robertshaw. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2016. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices