No Return: The True Story of How Martyrs Are Made

by Mark Townsend

'An incredible story, powerfully and beautifully told.' - James O'Brien

Five teenage friends leave Brighton to wage jihad in Syria. All except one are killed. This is their untold story.

No Return is a unique insight into a hidden Britain, based on true events that so shocked intelligence experts they are now the Home Office's lead case study into youth radicalisation.

Drawing on a cache of leaked classified documents and unprecedented access to all the main players, award-winning investigative journalist Mark Townsend reveals the shocking truth behind what drew these young Britons to martyrdom in a foreign land. The end result is a fast-paced and powerfully gripping true crime account of radicalisation - and how it can be prevented.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2020

Reviews

[Ger Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!!

[Roni Adan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Because of lots of dates and people it can get a bit messy at points but I think the author did a good job of bringing together a long and complicated story. If you're interested in radicalisation, jihad, and immigrants in the UK this is for you

[David Bisset · Rating 4 out of 5]

A journalistic investigation of the young men who left Brighton to fight in the civil war in Syria. They came from an extremely disturbed background in which there were some unexpected conversions to Islam. It is a disturbing narrative.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting as a view on how a family of teenagers became involved in a pilgramage to Syria after suffering racist abuse at their school and in their community and how they motivated others to join in their beliefs. Particularly interesting if you live near Brighton and know it well.

[Katie McQue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story. Brilliant investigative journalism that's also sensitively and beautifully written. A complete page turner. One of my favourite books of the year.

[Magdaléna Kudrnáčová · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the book is well written, it regrettably exhibits an unmistakable bias. These people aren't the victims, regardless of any mistreatment they may have endured.

[Liisi Toom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[Cameron Avery Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot overstate how well-written this book is. Factual yet compassionate towards a horrific and complex issue, Townsend has written an absolute corker

[Tiah]

Book Bite for the Sunday Times: https://bit.ly/2G0RsaE

~Despite the threats being traceable there is no record that police targeted or arrested any of the National Front group in Saltdean. Similarly, no record exists that any supporters of a far-right party were even interviewed by Sussex Police despite the repeated hate crimes committed and death threats issued against the family.~

~The comments that hurt the most were accolades for Obama and what a lovely family the president had. "I had lost my son to an American bomb and I'm grieving. His children are not better than mine. Whether a kind or a pauper, the pain is the same when your child dies."~

~Khadijah...asked the Home Office why her eldest boy had been allowed to travel using not just the wrong passport but that of a 15-year-old. The government responded by saying they "do not comment on individual cases".~

~There was no room in the government's austerity strategy for bespoke counter-radicalisation services.~

~As the serious case review team explored further, more uncomfortable truths were exposed. Police, social workers, and counter-terrorism officers had failed to share basic, but vital information. On the rare occasions that evidence of extremism was identified, agencies failed to take adequate actions.~

~Do you think I'll be okay to come home?~