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Abdullah-X: The new cartoon made by former extremist aimed at stopping Britain’s young Muslims from leaving for Syria Abdullah-X: The new cartoon made by former extremist aimed at stopping Britain’s young Muslims from leaving for Syria
(about 1 hour later)
A series of cartoons aimed at preventing young British Muslims from joining extremist jihad groups abroad has been created by a reformed Islamic extremist. A series of cartoons aimed at preventing young British Muslims from joining jihadist groups abroad has been created by a reformed Islamic extremist.
Abdullah-X is the creation of a former Muslim extremist who once followed clerics Abu Hamza and Omar Bakri but now aims to use his cartoons to unpick these teachings of these preachers. Abdullah-X is the creation of a former extremist, who once followed clerics Abu Hamza and Omar Bakri but now aims to use his cartoons to unpick the teachings of these preachers.
In the cartoons we see Abdullah-X, a disillusioned young British Muslim, explore the reasons behind British Muslim’s decisions to get involved in extremist activities abroad, but eventually decides that extremism is not the path for him. In the cartoons, Abdullah-X is a disillusioned young British Muslim who explores the reasons behind British Muslims' decisions to get involved in extremist activities abroad, but eventually decides that extremism is not the path for him.
The Abdullah-X channel also has a number of shorter videos that help young people to understand "The real meaning of jihad" and provide suggestions of other ways, aside from fighting there, in which British Muslims can help Syria.
In one video Abdullah asks, “You have to kill others to make your world purer. This is what you think Islam is? Are you for real?", while another post questions those who justify “their own hate through Islam.”In one video Abdullah asks, “You have to kill others to make your world purer. This is what you think Islam is? Are you for real?", while another post questions those who justify “their own hate through Islam.”
In his first ever interview, the Abdullah-X creator, who prefers to have his identity hidden, told Sky News that he hoped the cartoons would dissuade young Muslims from getting involved in foreign jihads, as well as dispelling some of the “myths” and “prejudices” non-Muslims may have about Islam. In his first interview, the creator, who prefers to remain anonymous, told Sky News that he hoped the cartoons would dissuade young Muslims from getting involved in foreign jihads, as well as dispelling some of the “myths” and “prejudices” non-Muslims may have about Islam.
Since it began in February, the Abdullah-X Youtube channel has uploaded only a handful of videos but has already managed to attract tens of thousands viewers to the site. Since it began in February, the YouTube channel that has also been set up, has uploaded only a handful of videos but has already attracted tens of thousands viewers to the site.
The channel’s creator says that this decision to create a cartoon and broadcast it on an online platform, was an attempt to combat the increasingly innovative and modern techniques jihadist recruiters were using to influence young Muslims.The channel’s creator says that this decision to create a cartoon and broadcast it on an online platform, was an attempt to combat the increasingly innovative and modern techniques jihadist recruiters were using to influence young Muslims.
He said: “Extremist groups have beaten mainstream society in access to the internet, they have beaten mainstream society in content, in the ability to justify what they stand for and what they believe in, when I started this project I felt that unless we take a proactive step to take some of that ground back online, it will never embed itself in the off-line reality of young people."He said: “Extremist groups have beaten mainstream society in access to the internet, they have beaten mainstream society in content, in the ability to justify what they stand for and what they believe in, when I started this project I felt that unless we take a proactive step to take some of that ground back online, it will never embed itself in the off-line reality of young people."
Read More Stories: British Jihadis have assets frozen by the treasuryFrance bans citizens with jihadist links from travelling abroadYoutube pressed to remove jihad recruitment videoRead More Stories: British Jihadis have assets frozen by the treasuryFrance bans citizens with jihadist links from travelling abroadYoutube pressed to remove jihad recruitment video
In June, it was confirmed by counter terrorism police that around 500 British citizens had made the journey to fight in Syria and it is believed that a large percentage of these had been between the ages of 16 and 25.In June, it was confirmed by counter terrorism police that around 500 British citizens had made the journey to fight in Syria and it is believed that a large percentage of these had been between the ages of 16 and 25.
The  use of the internet and social media by jihadist groups was apparent just three weeks ago, when a recruitment video from the State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) saw British jihadists Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan, both 20 and from Cardiff, and Abdul Rakib Amin from Aberdeen appear on a video online encouraging other British Muslims to join them in Syria. The use of the internet and social media in particular by jihadist groups was evident just three weeks ago, when a recruitment video from the State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) saw British jihadists Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan, both 20 and from Cardiff, and Abdul Rakib Amin from Aberdeen appear on a video online encouraging other British Muslims to join them in Syria.
Before beginning the project, the creator of Abdullah-X was linked to a number of illegal extremist groups but became disillusioned with the leadership of these groups saying that many of the people that would preach would “not have the guts” to carry out the actions, while others who talked about hatred for the West were quite “happy to claim government benefits”.Before beginning the project, the creator of Abdullah-X was linked to a number of illegal extremist groups but became disillusioned with the leadership of these groups saying that many of the people that would preach would “not have the guts” to carry out the actions, while others who talked about hatred for the West were quite “happy to claim government benefits”.
Reyaad Khan, left, and Nasser Muthana, both 20 and from Cardiff, appear in a video aimed at recruiting jihadists Reyaad Khan, left, and Nasser Muthana, both 20 and from Cardiff, appear in a video aimed at recruiting jihadists And he says that these experiences have given him the experience to better communicate with the young Muslims that are now facing the decisions he once had to consider.
Nevertheless, he does say that these experiences do give him the experience to better communicate with the young Muslims that are now facing the decisions he once had to consider.
 “I’ve been there, seen it, bought the T-shirt and asked for a refund," he said, "I have the knowledge, the background and the experience to understand that narratives such as the one driven by extremist groups.” “I’ve been there, seen it, bought the T-shirt and asked for a refund," he said, "I have the knowledge, the background and the experience to understand that narratives such as the one driven by extremist groups.”
The creator hopes that it will change the minds of those young Muslims that may have been considering travelling to Syria and, most importantly, “save young Muslim’s lives”.The creator hopes that it will change the minds of those young Muslims that may have been considering travelling to Syria and, most importantly, “save young Muslim’s lives”.
He said: “It hopes to save the lives of young Muslims who believe that jihad has become some call of duty that is mimicked for them through their PlayStation experience that they now think they can do for real in some far-off land, for a cause they don't truly understand."He said: “It hopes to save the lives of young Muslims who believe that jihad has become some call of duty that is mimicked for them through their PlayStation experience that they now think they can do for real in some far-off land, for a cause they don't truly understand."