US teen forced to appear in Islamic State video threatening Trump 'relieved' to be home

Josie Ensor
Updated ·2 min read
Matthew talks about his time living in the Islamic State - BBC Panorama
Matthew talks about his time living in the Islamic State - BBC Panorama
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An American teenager who featured in an Islamic State video threatening President Donald Trump while living with his parents in Syria says it was a "relief" to be back in the US.

Matthew, who was taken by his mother, Samantha Sally, and her husband, Moussa Elhassani, to live in IS’s caliphate in 2015, has spoken for the first time about his horrifying ordeal.

Matthew, now 13, said he was given no choice but to take part in the propaganda video because of Elhassani’s control over him: "He was starting to lose it, like he was mentally unstable, very mentally unstable," he told BBC Panorama in a documentary to be broadcast on Monday night. "I was so young I did not really understand any of it."

Matthew with his mother Samantha and late stepfather Moussa Elhassani - BBC Panorama
Matthew with his mother Samantha and late stepfather Moussa Elhassani - BBC Panorama

In one of the videos, Matthew was forced to recite lines he had been made to learn. "My message to Trump, the puppet of the Jews: Allah has promised us victory and he's promised you defeat,” a cropped-haired 10-year-old told the camera.

Elhassani died in a suspected drone attack in the summer of 2017.

After his death, Sally managed to pay smugglers to help them escape. They were then brought back to the US, where Sally was convicted earlier this month of financing terrorism and sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.

The US has treated those who were taken to Syria as minors differently upon their return, depending on their age.

Matthew while he was living in Syria  - BBC Panorama
Matthew while he was living in Syria - BBC Panorama

Last month, Jihad Ali, 19, was charged in New York with material support for a terrorist group after returning to the US with his father, Emraan.

Jihad had been taken to Syria, where he received weapons training, by Emraan aged just 14.

Speaking about how it felt to step back on to US soil, Matthew, who now lives with his father Juan in Indiana, said: "It's like being in tight clothes or tight socks and shoes all day and then just taking it off and just feeling nice and chilling in a hot bath. That's what it felt like. Like sweet relief. It felt good."

Watch: IS teenager is a security risk, UK top court hears