From ISIS to It Girl: British woman who joined ISIS becomes fashion influencer

Tareena Shakil, who served six years in a British prison for charges related to joining ISIS, is attempting to become an Instagram influencer.

A British woman who travelled to Syria to join ISIS back in 2014 at the age of 26 is attempting a career change and styling herself as the next big thing in online fashion spaces.

Tareena Shakil first came to the public’s attention after she left the UK for Syria in 2014 with her 14-month-old son in order to join ISIS. However, she quickly decided that she was unhappy with her new life as a female member of the jihadist militant group, and fled Syria for Turkey after just three months.

Shakil was arrested upon her return to the UK, and although at first, she claimed that she had been kidnapped and taken to Syria against her will, it was later discovered that she had indeed joined of her own volition.

It was also revealed that during her three months with ISIS, she lived with a group of women who were all awaiting an arranged marriage to ISIS fighters.

She was ultimately charged with four years of prison time for joining ISIS and an additional two years for encouraging others to commit acts of terror via social media posts. As part of her sentence, she was required to undergo a deradicalization program.

From ISIS to It Girl

Since being released from prison in 2019, Shakil has given numerous televised interviews and has publicly addressed the photos of her with AK47s, as well as her shock at having received a prison sentence.
Now, perhaps tired of being known for her ISIS endeavors, Shakil has decided to turn her hand to becoming a fashion influencer, posting online under the name “That Girl Tam Tam.”

Among the items she shares are fashion inspiration posts, outfit ideas and photos and videos of her travels across the globe.

It appears that her adventures in Syria didn’t put her off traveling, as since being released from prison she has traveled to Spain, Italy, Albania and Morocco.”

And, in a somewhat ironic decision, the description section of her Instagram page bears the quote: “If you know who you are, how can they tell you any different?”