French radical Islamist on trial

Vanessa Bérard, a French woman accused of radical Islamist ties, is facing trial for her role in taking her children to Syria and her alleged intent to turn her son into a fighter for the Islamic State. The case has drawn attention to the plight of children of foreign jihadists affiliated with ISIS.

Eldest son recounts harsh conditions

Bérard’s eldest son, who is nearly 18, testified in Paris about the brutal conditions he faced in Syria. He described the environment as "the jungle," where failure to follow ISIS orders could lead to imprisonment or death, with specific areas set aside for torture and execution. He said, "That was how it was in my life. I grew up that way."

Family’s time in Syria and return

Prosecutors said Bérard, described as particularly radical, took her son and two-year-old daughter to Syria in late 2013. The son was repatriated in October 2022 after spending over three years in camps for families of foreign jihadists following the fall of ISIS. His younger sister, however, did not return with him. She was killed in a 2017 bombing of their home, along with a sister born in Syria.

Mother’s reaction to daughter’s death

Bérard informed the father of her daughter’s death via messages, claiming she was "better where she is now" and suggesting that in France, she "would have become a prostitute." The son, who was injured by shrapnel in 2018, described witnessing horrific violence in Syria, including severed limbs and public executions. He admitted to participating in some of these events as a child.

Uncertain recruitment into ISIS camps

The investigation has not confirmed whether the son was recruited into the "Lions of Daesh," a program for conscripting children of ISIS. An investigator called this part of the case "unclear." Bérard claimed the trip to Iraq was to protect her son from the violence of her jihadist husband, Tunisian Hamza Bentayeb. However, the home environment was also marked by abuse, with the children "beaten every day" by Mohamed Skalab, Bérard’s previous husband, who left Daesh in 2014.

Violence and family tensions

The son described being beaten by Skalab and Bentayeb, including an incident where he tried to defend his mother from abuse and was "thrown against the ceiling." Bérard’s father-in-law once locked her in a bathroom with her younger sister during a brief visit to France in 2014. Despite the abuse, Bérard expressed remorse, saying, "I stole her childhood," and "I am guilty of everything he experienced."

Mother’s mixed legacy

Bérard struggles to convince others of her sincerity when discussing her ties to ISIS, but becomes emotional when talking about her children. Her son refuses to "tarnish her name," saying she "was always there for us, she always provided for our needs." While acknowledging her mother’s past, he said, "it did not justify going there," but added, "it's done, it's done."

Son’s reflection and mother’s fate

The son noted that his friends who stayed in France were "lucky," but he was not. He said he was "lucky to come back here alive." At 38, Bérard faces a possible life sentence for her alleged crimes.