Belgian Family Urges Repatriation of Sister from Syrian Camp, Sparking Debate on Ex-ISIS Members

For a few months now, requests for the return of jihadists detained abroad have been multiplying. On RTL TVi, it is Sarah who pleaded for the return of Nora, her young sister who is the widow of a jihadist.

"We are fighting for her to be able to return to Belgium so that she can then live a normal life, away from the war. She did not go to join a group but her childhood love," she recounts.

She claims that her sister has never had any sympathy for the Islamic State. She just followed a boy for whom she felt something strong. But he received bullets and died. "I have regular news and it’s going extremely badly for her. Her return is an emergency," she continues.

The young woman’s family hopes that the authorities will grant their request. Samira Laakel, Nora’s mother, has also written the book Le bonheur est parti avec toi, in which she describes how her life was turned upside down the day her daughter left never to return. "I educated her for 18 years but recruiters in Vilvorde managed to brainwash her in a few months," she said.