E. I. BRONNITSKAYA Independent journalist Keywords: DAESH*, terrorism, recruitment mechanisms Over the past 10 to 15 years, the world community has repeatedly been convinced of the reality of the threat posed by terrorist groups, and most recently by the Islamic State (IS/DAESH). Built according to the fantasy blueprints of its ideologues, the pseudo-caliphate exists today at the expense of illegal oil production and sales, cash injections from regional and Western sponsors, and most importantly - thanks to the seemingly inexhaustible flow of new recruits. DAESH uses a whole arsenal of effective recruitment methods to attract expendable "human material" to its ranks. This includes modern Internet technologies that allow instant dissemination of information, visual effects that create the illusion of computer games, and an emphasis on extreme, unheard - of cruelty-one of the elements of the authentic Middle Ages in the entire "advanced" system of the "Islamic State". However, in addition to a bright presentation that anchors the main ideological "message" in the minds of potential recruits, many indirect factors also contribute to the success of recruitment: psychological predisposition, dissatisfaction with the outside world, social status, etc. These stories were written in order to demonstrate the effect of recruitment mechanisms on individuals, to reveal the reasons and motivations that make people join Daesh, and to trace their subsequent fate.** SAEED AL-IRAKI: "MY PARADISE" My parents made a great sacrifice for my brother and me by moving north. They believed that we had a future here in London. All you have to do is work, work around the clock. When it got really hard, they would say to each other, " We took our children away from the war. They'll finish high school and go to college." I always remembered that. And he did everything to make their dream come true. I proudly carried the banner of our family and grew up gritting my teeth under the ridicule and m ... Read more