The Bærum sisters will explain themselves to the court – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country

“Everyone” has heard the story about the two sisters from Bærum who traveled to Syria. There they each married a foreign fighter and had children. Accused of having participated in the terrorist organization IS, the eldest sister will explain herself in court on Wednesday. She wears a brown hijab and her voice trembles when she speaks: – I haven’t had the opportunity to explain myself without fearing for my life, says the eldest sister to the court. Photo: Private Let the tears flow, she says. – The last ten years have been about survival for me. At times I feel overwhelmed by guilt and shame. – The thought of everything I regret can destroy me, but I can’t break now. She says that the reason she returned to Norway was because of the children, and that she did not care about potentially ending up in prison. – I couldn’t believe what I had done, she says. She maintains that she is not guilty. Claims the press put them in a dangerous situation – This is a matter that has been public for a decade. One has in many ways concluded in the public space without them having had the opportunity to explain themselves, said defender Geir Lippestad on Tuesday. The eldest sister says that the great attention from the press around them in the time after they left and during the time in Syria put them in a dangerous situation. – I don’t think the press understand the danger they have put me in, says the sister, and insists: – Many people knew who we were, so we had to be careful. She says that the men they were married to also paid extra attention to them. Became more interested in Islam The sister tells about how she and her family came to Norway from Somalia. Integrating in Norway was difficult. – We quickly felt the difference between Norwegian and Somali. Especially when the new culture demands that you give up everything you are. She claims she was bullied because she wore the hijab, and was concerned about the opposition directed against the religion. Later she became a member of the Islamist organization Islam Net to work against Koran burning, and wanted to make a difference in society. In Islam Net she became more religious. There were many young Muslims who became more practicing at this time, she says. Photo: GUNNAR BRATTHAMMER / news – I change. The food, the language and how I dressed. It went way too fast. She says that the environment in and around Islam Net demanded a lot from her, and that she constantly had to adapt. – Islam wanted more of me. The more I fasted, the more I covered myself up, the more I had to do, she says. Accused of recruitment, participation and weapons training The prosecution believes the sisters have carried out several acts that constitute punishable participation in IS: They have both married a foreign fighter. The youngest sister is said to have prepared to start a military training camp for IS women. She is said to have sworn allegiance to IS and attended Sharia courses. Both sisters are said to have tried to get other Norwegian women to join IS. The eldest sister is said to have attended sharia courses, Koranic school, and language training in IS, as well as teaching English. The elder is said to have “handled incidents and reactions” against women who were seen as enemies of IS, or who did not support IS’s ideology. The sisters plead guilty. Published 16.10.2024, at 10.03 Updated 16.10.2024, at 11.21



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