From Abuse Trauma to the Trap of Terrorism: A Shocking Scenario of Child Recruitment

The recruitment of children into the ranks of terrorist groups represents one of the most serious crimes committed by these organizations, raising profound questions about its causes and methods.

This issue was discussed during a seminar held in Cairo, with the participation of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism.

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In a statement issued a few days earlier, the Al-Azhar Observatory noted that child abuse is among the most heinous crimes, pointing out that some children may resort to violence or aggressive behavior as an alternative defense mechanism, in an attempt to regain the sense of control that was taken from them during childhood.

It added that this is where the seeds of extremism may begin to grow, as when an abuser disregards the dignity of others, they open within the victim an entry point through which extremists infiltrate, normalizing bloodshed and the violation of sanctities.

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The Observatory also emphasized that both the abuser and the extremist share a dangerous psychological mechanism, despite differences in the level of violence, namely the suppression of empathy, as both are devoid of sensitivity to the suffering of others.

Following this statement, the Observatory organized a seminar addressing the issue, during which mechanisms for protecting children from abuse and the risks of extremist recruitment were examined.

During the seminar, Dr. Hajar Qadri, a member of the Urdu-language monitoring unit, warned of the dangers posed by extremist groups exploiting the fragile psychological state of child victims of abuse.

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She explained that these groups lie in wait for children who suffer from a loss of security, seeking to convince them that joining their ranks will grant them strength and compensation, using religion as a cover to recruit them into terrorist acts that threaten social stability.

Dr. Mona Mohammed, a researcher within the same unit, also spoke about the idea that the safety of society begins with the safety of its children, and outlined ways to confront these harmful phenomena.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported in a 2018 report on the phenomenon of child recruitment by terrorist groups, attributing it to the ease with which children can be intimidated and controlled, both physically and psychologically, compared to adults.

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