Oliver N., who grew up near Vienna, had just turned 16 when he joined ISIS in Syria. He spent half a year in the “caliphate,” witnessing the brutality of the Islamic fighters and managing to escape back to Austria after being severely wounded. In this book he tells his incredible story.
Oliver N. is 15 and in the midst of a life crisis when an old friend puts him in touch with a mosque in Vienna. The brothers there make him feel safe and understood. He converts to Islam, radically changing his lifestyle and views. The conversations soon circle around the caliphate, the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and Oliver wants nothing more than to help the brothers in their fight and to live among the community of believers there. He is funneled to Syria, where he ends up in an international brigade with young fighters from Germany, Belgium, England, Canada, Mexico and even Australia. His enthusiasm dampens quickly when he witnesses people being brutally tortured and murdered. After an exploding bomb leaves him badly wounded, he manages to get out of Syria on a ruse. Now he just has to make it clear to the Austrian consulate in Istanbul that he really is the one included on Interpol’s wanted list… After 20 months in prison, in this book he writes about his radicalization and change of heart.
