Press Play with Madeleine Brand
“Jihadi John” Identified, the Changing Politics of Pot, and Net Neutrality
The ISIS fighter known as “Jihadi John” has been identified as a British national named Mohammed Emwazi. What do we know about him? Also, why are so many Westerners getting radicalized by ISIS?
We start today with the news that the ISIS fighter known as “Jihadi John” has been identified as a British national named Mohammed Emwazi. What do we know about him? Also, why are so many Westerners getting radicalized by ISIS? Next, recreational pot is now legal in Alaska and Washington, D.C., even though it’s still illegal under federal law. We hear different perspectives on the legal and political conundrums that’s causing. Then, a conversation with the filmmakers behind the new documentary The Hunting Ground, about college campus sexual assault. And finally, we tackle net neutrality in our weekly Internet roundup.
Banner Image: A masked, black-clad militant, who has been identified by the Washington Post newspaper as a Briton named Mohammed Emwazi, brandishes a knife in this still image from a 2014 video obtained from SITE Intel Group February 26, 2015. Investigators believe that the masked killer known as "Jihadi John", who fronted Islamic State beheading videos, is Emwazi, two U.S. government sources said on Thursday. The British government and police refused to confirm or deny his identity, which was first revealed by the Washington Post, saying it was an ongoing security investigation. REUTERS/SITE Intel Group/Handout via Reuters
In this episode
5 storiesWho is Mohammed Emwazi aka “Jihadi John”?
Today, a British national named Mohammed Emwazi was identified as “Jihadi John,” the ISIS fighter who beheaded hostages in videos posted on YouTube. We’re learning more about Emwazi, who was born in Kuwait but grew up in England in a well-to-do family. What do we know about him and his journey from computer programmer to jihadist in Syria?
Read the story9 minThe Anatomy of Radicalization
Mohammed Emwazi isn’t the only westerner who has joined ISIS. About 5,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq come from Europe, North America, or Australia. Just yesterday, three men were arrested in Brooklyn on charges that they planned to carry out attacks here and then join ISIS in Syria. And it’s not only men becoming radicalized.
Read the story8 minPot Sentencing
Marijuana is now legal in Alaska and Washington D.C., but federal law says you can’t possess marijuana, grow it, or sell it. It’s an interesting conundrum for our nation’s capital, and for states like California that have relaxed marijuana possession laws. We talk about how that plays out in our criminal justice system.
Read the story10 min“The Hunting Ground”
The 2012 documentary The Invisible War told the story of rampant sexual assault in the military. The filmmakers showed it at colleges around the country as part of their promotional campaign, and found that students and faculty alike would come up to them afterwards and say “that happens here.”
Read the story14 minInternet Roundup: FCC Rules for Net Neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission ruled this morning that all web traffic is created equal. In other words, in favor of net neutrality. The FCC ruling makes it illegal for broadband providers to charge websites extra money for faster delivery of content.
Read the story8 min