Shamima Begum is a victim?

February 17, 2019By Richard C PendryIraq, Military history, Radicalisation, Syria No Comments

Despite public outrage and the strong remarks by both Ben Wallace and the Home Secretary Sajid Javid, there is growing concern that Shamima Begum, the jihadi bride who ran away at 15 to join IS and who is now in a refugee camp in Syria, will be let back in to the UK with her new born baby. But this is nothing new, it is estimated that 400 of the 850 British citizens that went off to join the terror group, have already returned.

Islamic State ‘Beatles’: The Next Move

February 10, 2018By Richard C Pendrynews No Comments

The sister of one of the victims of the infamous Islamic State group dubbed the Beatles – an Execution cell responsible for the murder of at least 27 of their hostages – has called for two of the gang; Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, recently captured while trying to cross into Turkey, to be … Read More

Will ISIS destroy ancient Palmyra?

June 17, 2015By Richard C Pendrynews, Syria No Comments

In May 2015, ISIS seized the city of Palmyra, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that lies in the Syrian Desert 215km north east of the capital Damascus. Another World Heritage Site the city of Hatra in northern Iraq has already become a casualty of the fanatical group.  The question is; will ISIS destroy ancient Palmyra? … Read More

Iraq, ISIS and the Sunni-Shia Split

June 20, 2014By Richard C PendryIraq 2 Comments

Iraq, three years after the withdrawal of Western Coalition forces is falling apart. Is it a straightforward result of Western intervention or is there more? Lets consider the wider context of Iraq, ISIS and the Sunni- Shia Split. As the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) juggernaut gathers pace, it seems that the Iraq … Read More