My Son the Jihadi: Channel 4 preview (22 October)

In 2011, Sally Evans, a mother from High Wycombe, discovered that her 21-year-old son Thomas, had travelled from the UK to Somalia to join Islamist terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

Thomas Evans had converted to Islam unexpectedly at the age of 19 and was radicalised soon after.

At 21, he travelled to Somalia to join the militant Islamist terrorist group, unbeknown to his family who thought he was going to study Arabic in Egypt.

The al-Qaeda affiliate jihadi group have been responsible for multiple atrocities in Kenya, including the 2013 Westgate shopping attack in Kenya and terrorising border areas.

This documentary was filmed over a pivotal nine-month period, and documents the struggle Sally and her youngest son Micheal faced as they tried to reconcile the Thomas they knew with the jihadi-preaching Islamist he became.

“I’m ashamed of him, but he’s still my son. We’re heartbroken by our children and their choices.” – Sally Evans

“My Son the Jihadi” is scheduled for broadcast tonight (22 October) at 9pm on Channel 4 in the UK.

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