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Anne Will, a popular German talk show, has been heavily criticised after it aired the segment with Nora Illi, the Muslim women’s commissioner for the Islamic Central Council Switzerland (IZRS), on Sunday evening. During the show, Mrs Illi was accused of promoting jihad and spreading war propaganda after she expressed she understood why young Muslims would feel the urge to travel to “the Holy Land” to fight. Talkshow host Ms Will asked the niqab-clad woman: “Mrs Illi, are you encouraging young people to join the Holy War because you're saying I can understand that young people worldwide, as you're writing, see themselves facing massive repressions and the temptation to escape this misery is therefore great?” Blaming it on the youths being excluded from society, she replied: “No, I'm trying to show with this that, for example, all future aspects were taken from a young woman who I was also in contact with.

ARD Nora Illi was accused of promoting jihad and spreading war propaganda

“She wasn't able to find an apprenticeship, she had problems at home with her family, all of this has been mentioned before and out of these repressions she has experienced. For example, that she couldn't find an apprenticeship because of her headscarf, that she was constantly exposed to Islamophobic attacks from society, that was her motivation. “She felt excluded from society and wanted to escape. And then Syria, being the Promised Land, seemed like the only way out to her.” Cutting off Mrs Illi, Ahmad Mansour, an Islamist expert and psychologist, who was also invited onto the show, snapped that this was propaganda. He said: “No, no, this is propaganda, excuse me…”

ARD Mrs Illi expressed she understood why young Muslims would feel the urge to travel Syria

Despite the protest, Mrs Illi continued to explain that girls were lured down to the war-ridden country by promises of a better life. She added the best thing parents could do was to stay in touch with their children and try to be understanding as to why they joined the jihadis. However, the Islamist expert blasted Mrs Illi’s defence of youths joining terrorists in Syria. Mr Mansour said: “Of course we have to give the children the feeling that there is an address if they have doubts or want to return. But this here is propaganda.

Battle for Mosul Tue, January 12, 2016 A major offensive to recapture Mosul from ISIS continues. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 80 Members of the Iraqi rapid response forces fire missile toward Islamic State militants during a battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Somer district of eastern Mosul