The returned : they left to wage jihad, now they're back / David Thomson ; translated by Gregory Flanders.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-265) and index.

The protagonists -- Introduction -- Bilel -- Leaving the Islamic State -- The arrival in Syria -- Daily life in the Islamic State -- The rupture after the Paris attacks -- Yassin -- A bullet in his stomach -- "Anything to bring him back" -- "Salam alaykum, my son is in Mayadin." --"He weighed less than 40 kilos" -- The French doctors in Raqqa -- Running backwards -- "Now you're going to tell us what really happened." -- Zubeir -- Zubeir, 20 years old, the repentant Jihadist -- Being a Jihadist means feeling important -- The tipping point -- Jihadist seeks yf for marriage -- "LOL Jihad" -- "I found ISIS at Fleury-Merogis" -- The Islamic State, prison ward -- Prison, Jihadist territory -- "I'm afraid that people are afraid of me" -- The women -- After Jihad, a "quiet" return to classes for Safya -- Sharia is sharia, that's all! -- Lena, the women and the desire to kill -- "I felt powerful. better than everyone else" -- Express weddings and quick divorces -- In the marriage factory -- Kevin and Quentin -- The former choirboy from Brittany -- Nice -- Those who didn't return -- Dope, rap, Nashid and terrorism -- From the French army to the Caliphate -- Epilogue.

Since 2012, hundreds have left Western countries to join jihadist groups fighting in Syria. Many are still there, many have been killed, but some have chosen to return to their countries of origin. In this remarkable book, journalist David Thomson has gathered their testimonies and analyses with nuance the factors that led to their radicalisation.