Active Quote by Rukmini Maria Callimachi
“It's become extremely difficult to speak to active ISIS members now. I was speaking to them in 2015, and the last one was killed in a drone strike.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New York Times, 2020
The speaker notes the growing difficulty of communicating with former ISIS members, highlighting the impact of targeted killings on dialogue.
In simple terms: It’s harder to talk to former ISIS members after many have been killed.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how conflict and loss affect communication channels.
Themes
security
terrorism
dialogue
Mood
serious
urgent
reflective
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- journalism
- policy analysis
- peacebuilding
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
radicalization
counterterrorism
Questions to Reflect On
- What are alternative ways to engage with extremist ideologies?
- How can societies balance security with open dialogue?
A Different Perspective
The loss of voices can also reduce opportunities for de‑radicalization.
![“US government policies are continuing to do exactly the same thing [produce terrorism]. Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone strike in Yemen attacking a peaceful village, which killed a target who could very easily have been apprehended. But of course it is just easier to…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/641/noam-chomsky-42_attacking_us-government-policies-are-continuing-to_926624.jpg)
![“We know that Muhammad waged war against the Qurayshi tribe, his own tribe, and it's from that conflict that much of the concept of jihad and verses that ISIS now uses to justify beheadings come from. A young man just told me that he went back and read this carefully [and saw] the prophet and his…” quote by Rukmini Maria Callimachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/32c/rukmini-maria-callimachi-34961_allowing_we-know-that-muhammad-waged-war-against_856700.jpg)
![“[People who have left the ISIS] say that there comes a moment when the inconsistencies and apparent hypocrisies of their sheikh lets them down, and they begin rereading scripture and find ways that vouch for a nonliteralist reading of the Koran.” quote by Rukmini Maria Callimachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/38e/rukmini-maria-callimachi-34961_down-and_people-who-have-left-the-isis-say-that-t_271551.jpg)
![“One of ISIS' biggest propaganda coups was the beheadings of the aid workers and journalists. Is [Emni], the group that is exporting fighters overseas, also the one that was holding James Foley and John Cantlie and Kayla Mueller?” quote by Rukmini Maria Callimachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be9/rukmini-maria-callimachi-34961_aids_one-of-isis-biggest-propaganda-coups-was_1700430.jpg)
![“I'm really curious as to the actual structure of the Emni [the intelligence unit that handles foreign attacks]. And Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the head of it. There are so few pictures of him. We don't even really know what he looks like. For somebody with this outsized influence projecting murder…” quote by Rukmini Maria Callimachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e9f/rukmini-maria-callimachi-34961_als_i-m-really-curious-as-to-the-actual-stru_2021716.jpg)
