On 8 November 2011, Women without Borders (WwB) facilitated a discussion between Aicha el-Wafi and Abdul Haq Baker at the Paley Center for Media in New York. El-Wafi is the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, who is serving life in prison after being convicted of conspiring with the 9/11 hijackers. Baker was the chairman of Brixton Mosque, and became Moussaoui’s friend and confidante after he had left his family home in France and moved to England in search of religious purpose in his life. This discussion highlights Baker’s experiences of witnessing Moussaoui’s radicalisation under the influence of extremist preachers, and unsuccessfully trying to persuade him not to involve himself in violent jihad. El-Wafi and Baker have come together for a unique conversation on identity, extremism, the role of mothers, and how they may play a key role in shielding their children from the lure of violent extremist ideologies.

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