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Seeking to separate fact from fiction, the multi award-winning series returns to investigate the divisive story of Shamima Begum.
When three London school girls went missing in 2015, they generated global headlines and the media storm that ensued continues to this day. Back then, investigative journalist Josh Baker was filming at a mosque in the girls' neighbourhood as their families came to seek help; their daughters were on the way to Syria to join the Islamic State group. But it was too late, and they disappeared inside the so-called caliphate.
For four years, their fate remained a mystery - with only occasional glimpses and sometimes conflicting reports of what they were doing with the terror group being made public. Only one of the girls emerged from the ashes of the so called caliphate - Shamima Begum.
The new series will take listeners inside Josh's attempts to figure out what really happened, unearthing new information about one of the most talked about stories of our time. He travels from Bethnal Green in East London to the depths of what was ISIS controlled Syria as he challenges Shamima Begum and investigates if the story she tells is true.
Series One - 'I'm Not A Monster: from BBC Panorama & FRONTLINE PBS'
The first series of I'm Not A Monster told the story of Sam Sally, an American mother who left behind a comfortable life and travelled to the heart of what the Islamic State group called its caliphate with her family. Her husband became an IS sniper and her 10 year-old son was forced to appear in an infamous propaganda video threatening President Trump. It's the BBC's most awarded podcast series to date, having received 16 nominations, winning 11 awards in 10 different international programme competitions including the Rose d 'Or for Best Audio series, three Golds and the Grand Jury Prize at the New York Festivals Radio Awards and Best Documentary Series at the Webbys and the inaugural Podcast Academy Awards (the Ambies) in 2021.
31 Episodes
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16An American mother living in the heart of the ISIS caliphate. Her husband an ISIS sniper. Her 10-year-old son forced to threaten the U.S. president in a propaganda video shown around the world. She claims she was tricked into taking her young children to war-torn Syria, but where does her account end and the truth begin? Over four years journalist Josh Baker unravels a dangerous story where nothing is as it seems. From the depths of Raqqa’s infamous torture prison to an elk hunt in Idaho, he uncovers secrets, lies and the lasting consequences. “I’m Not A Monster” is the story of one family’s journey from Indiana to the Islamic State group and back.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Series Editor: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason Phipps
“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) for BBC Sounds.
A suicide bombing in Iraq and a home video from inside the ISIS caliphate begin the search for a family trapped in Syria. A desperate plea arrives from an American woman who says she wants to escape the Islamic State group with her young children. This episode includes descriptions of violence and some upsetting scenes involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Sound Design and Mix: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason Phipps
“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
A man who says he’s a people smuggler offers to help the family, while a drive around a suburb in Indiana reveals their past. Sam’s father adds a new twist on who his daughter really is.This episode includes descriptions of violence and some upsetting moments involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsARCHIVE:Fox News: ISIS uses purported American boy in latest propaganda video (August 2017)
NBC News: Boy In ISIS Propaganda Video Claims To Be 10-year-old American | TODAY (August 2017)
CBS News: ISIS claims boy in propaganda video is American (August 2017)“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
The Islamic State group forces Sam’s son Matthew to spread its propaganda. Josh searches the woods of Idaho looking for a man on an elk hunt. Then an obscure tweet leads him to Syria to try to find the family.If you know something that you think might help the investigation please email notamonster@bbc.com Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsThis episode includes strong language, descriptions of violence and some upsetting moments involving children.ARCHIVE:NBC News: Boy In ISIS Propaganda Video Claims To Be 10-year-old American | TODAY (August 2017)
Sky News: Battle for Raqqa: The uneasy alliance fighting IS. Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley reports (2017)
France 24: Syria: Islamic state group counter-attacks in Raqqa as fierce fighting rages (2017)
Channel 4 News: Battle for Raqqa: is Isis about to be driven out? Lindsey Hilsum reports. (2017)“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
A young boy in the mountains of Northern Iraq makes Josh question what he knows about Sam. Then ten days searching war-torn Syria lead to an offer of help, but can it be trusted?This episode includes descriptions of violence and some upsetting moments involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsARCHIVE:CBS News: Are Yazidis facing genocide at the hands of ISIS? (August 2014)“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
Josh is face-to-face with Sam after a year trying to track her down. On a military base in Syria, she begins to tell her side of the story. She says it all started as a family holiday.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed By: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason Phipps“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
A torture prison, buying slaves and a dramatic escape: Sam continues her account of her years in Raqqa.This episode includes references to sexual abuse, extreme violence and some upsetting moments involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Rod Farquhar
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsIf you've been affected by any of the issues in this series, please contact support organisations in your own country.For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support for survivors of sexual abuse, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
As Josh starts to uncover more about the family’s past, Sam tries to explain away some of the many discrepancies in her story. Then, a connection to the FBI raises new questions about her.If you know something that you think might help the investigation please email notamonster@bbc.comReporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsARCHIVE:ITV News: Filthy and overcrowded': Islamic State families stuck in 'no man's land'
CBS News: CBS News goes inside Syrian refugee camp filled with ISIS supporters“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
Josh retraces Sam’s steps in Syria and asks could she have been an ISIS supporter all along? He meets her old neighbours in Raqqa, visits the infamous torture prison where she says she was held and meets an Islamic State group member who knew her personally.This episode includes references to violence.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason Phipps“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
After years of insisting she’s innocent, Sam pleads guilty and Moussa’s exes reveal more about the man that led her to Syria. Sam’s team claims she was “a wife under the thumb of her violently abusive and radical husband” but the prosecution says she has “credibility issues” and tells stories that serve her personally. So how long will she spend in prison?This episodes contains some upsetting moments involving children.If you know something that you think might help the investigation please email notamonster@bbc.comReporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason PhippsARCHIVE:ABC News: President Donald Trump declares national emergency to address coronavirus outbreak“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
Sam’s son Matthew was just seven when he was taken to Syria and the Islamic State group. He thought he’d never see America again. Now he’s back with his dad and talks of the “sweet relief” of being home.Josh finds out how he and Sam’s other children are doing now.This episode includes references to violence and some upsetting moments involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Production assistant: Lucie Sullivan
Composer: Sam Slater
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Series Editor: Emma RipponCommissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Editor: Jason Phipps“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds
Josh is back with news of what to expect next and with a reminder of what we heard in I’m Not A Monster.Reporter: Josh Baker
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Radio Current Affairs production for BBC Sounds.
What happened to the family Josh was staying with when the Islamic State group struck in 2016?I’m Not a Monster began after Josh was injured by an ISIS truck bomb in Mosul, Iraq. If it wasn’t for an old contact reaching out to see how he was doing, he may never have heard about Sam and Matthew.Now he returns to the Iraqi city and finds that while the fighting may be largely over, the people of Iraq are facing a different battle as a mental health crisis has taken hold.This episode includes descriptions of violence and some upsetting moments involving children.Reporter: Josh Baker
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.
In Northern Iraq, Josh finds out how two people you’ve been asking about are doing now.In 2014, the Islamic State group killed thousands of members of the Yazidi religious community and kidnapped and enslaved many, many more. Ayham and Saud were both taken from their families and ended up in Syria where they were eventually bought by Sam and her husband Moussa.Josh first met them just after they’d escaped ISIS with Sam and then made it back to Iraq. Now he returns to hear how they are doing today and what they want for their futures.This episode includes strong language and references to violence.Reporter: Josh Baker
Producers: Joe Kent and Max Green
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.
Since the series ended, so many of you have got in touch wanting to know more. With the help of criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw, Josh answers your questions.Presenters: Josh Baker and Dr Julia Shaw (host of the Bad People podcast on BBC Sounds)
Mixed by: Tom Brignell
Producer: Joe Kent
Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples
Editor Emma Rippon“I’m Not a Monster” is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE (PBS) and is a BBC Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.
Seeking to separate fact from fiction, the multi award-winning series returns to investigate the divisive story of Shamima Begum.
When three London school girls went missing in 2015, they generated global headlines and the media storm that ensued continues to this day. Back then, investigative journalist Josh Baker was filming at a mosque in the girls’ neighbourhood as their families came to seek help; their daughters were on the way to Syria to join the Islamic State group. But it was too late, and they disappeared inside the so-called caliphate.
For four years, their fate remained a mystery - with only occasional glimpses and sometimes conflicting reports of what they were doing with the terror group being made public. Only one of the girls emerged from the ashes of the so called caliphate - Shamima Begum.The new series takes listeners inside Josh’s attempts to figure out what really happened, unearthing new information about one of the most talked about stories of our time. He travels from Bethnal Green in East London to the depths of what was ISIS controlled Syria as he challenges Shamima Begum and investigates if the story she tells is true.
Investigating the story of Shamima Begum. At 15, she ran away from her London home with two school friends to join the terror group ISIS in war torn Syria. Now she wants to come back. It’s a tale that has gripped the world, but there are different ways to tell it.Josh Baker has been following the story since 2015 when Shamima Begum left for the Islamic State group. For Series 2 of I’m Not a Monster he investigates what really happened.ARCHIVE:CNN: Three British Girls Run Away to Syria (2015)
Sky News: Newspaper Review (13/02/2019)
ITV: Good Morning Britain (24/11/2020)
Fox News; The Ingraham Angle (20/02/2019)
ITV: Good Morning Britain (15/09/2021)
Three London schoolgirls disappear, heading for a war zone. Four years later only one emerges from the ashes of ISIS. Nobody knows what really happened to her. Josh Baker meets Shamima Begum in Syria to begin unpicking her story. Almost eight years earlier, he was filming in Shamima’s local mosque when news broke that she and her friends had gone missing, it made global headlines. He was there when their families came asking for help, but it was all too late; they'd already made it into the hands of the Islamic State group. But how did it all begin? Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan HaskinsARCHIVE
Good Morning Britain (ITV, September 2021)
Sky News: John Sparks interviews Shamima Begum (February 2019)
Following Shamima Begum’s route reveals a dangerous Islamic State group smuggling network, but that’s not all. A local taxi firm isn’t what it seems and a gangster threatens to make Josh “disappear.” It all ends in an underground carpark with a stack of secret documents and a warning.Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Field producers: Hussam Hammoud and Zeynep Bilginsoy
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater and Gunni Tynes
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan HaskinsThis episode contains strong language.
The man who smuggled Shamima Begum to Syria claims he was spying for Canada. What's the truth? And could she and her school friends have been stopped from reaching the Islamic State group?Reporter: Josh Baker
Written by: Josh Baker and Joe Kent
Producers: Josh Baker, Sara Obeidat and Joe Kent
Field producers: Hussam Hammoud
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Theme music: Sam Slater and Gunni Tynes
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Series Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall
Head of Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
Commissioning Executive: Dylan HaskinsARCHIVE:
SKY News: New Footage 'Of British IS Schoolgirls' (March 2015)
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I am fascinated by this story. Having experienced years of violence I am aware that often women sound very light-hearted about these experiences, often laughing about the terrible abuse we have suffered. I guess in the same way returned soldiers tell their stories. So I have no judgement about Sam and only wish her and her children well. Colette
I find the journalist biased and very judgemental, journalism is about providing facts, not about stating unfounded opinions. Human beings respond to trauma in different ways, a journalist does not have the necessary training or knowledge to make an assessment on someone's reaction to a situation, particularly in an environment that I doubt any of us would ever understand.
This chick is SO FULL OF SHIT.
Another fine piece of Journo. What's next Josh? Point's I would make is, allowing the camps to continue makes it more dangerous. All should be repatriated and detained for proper risk assessments. Also Ms Begum's high profile court case does her no good at all. Every time it's in the rabid press the debate resurfaces. What we need is some pragmatism to deal properly with the ISIS issue. Question how many Brits are in these camps? We only ever hear about this very stupid girl.
So a journalist had to do Mi5's job? please give her back her citizenship and get her back home. you can't leave her stateless but can procecute her at the old baily
I wish that her children could have been saved. They were innocent. I am still skeptical about how easily she and her two friends were able to just leave. cross all these national borders, and go join ISIS. I am also skeptical that, while she was stripped of her UK citizenship and made an example of in the press and everywhere, that other even worse people who joined ISIS were not quietly repatriated and snuck back to their countries of origin including the UK. I don't know what should be done with her, but I suspect that the rest of these Western nation ISIS people will all gradually, quietly, whether we like it or not (and I sure don't) be repatriated, reintegrated, maybe given new identities and assisted in other ways, and go on to live anonymous lives in safety and privacy.
personally, this woman has gone through hell. watching her kids die one by one is enough torture. Britain 🇬🇧 bring her home and punish her more if you want, but don't leave her there. if there were multiple failures that failed to catch their exit from the Uk to Syria, why should she bear the brunt of everything? please justice with mercy. she has suffered enough and can never be the same. Especially when her mule was working foe an intelligence agency.
I do not trust Shamina
great investigative journalism
If even the ISIS guys are skeptical that three teenage girls were able to just travel from the UK by themselves across all these borders then maybe we should be at least a little bit skeptical too. Aren't we, supposedly, becoming more aware of human trafficking, international abductions parental or otherwise, etc.?
Ditto! Pretty crazy that this remains broken weeks later.
I can't wait to hear this episode. Hopefully up soon
Thought this episode would have been fixed
This episode isn't playing due to a broken source, it's the same on other platforms. Just flagging it in case the procedures check these comments so they can fix it. Looking forward to series 2
Shamima should return to Britain. She is our responsibility, she was a child seeing Muslims being treated like scum under asad regime.
very interesting podcast.
isn't it possible to get some sort of immigration sponsorship for these kids? Australia is like very intolerant. Canada, Scandinavia etc? they really need help especially cos they are minorities
Fantastic podcast! can be difficult at times to listen to the story but really eye-opening as to what the people went through! highly recommend!
Wow Josh 👏 each and every episode is brilliant.How you managed to keep such an open mind and report as such is just so good. The twist and turns to Sams story really gave food for thought ...with the back ground so intensely investigated and an unsight into all aspects of her story given. The best podcasts I have listened to this year.
Very detailed and Josh was a pleasure to listen to.