American ISIS Podcast with Trevor Aaronson cover art

American ISIS

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American ISIS

By: Trevor Aaronson
Narrated by: Trevor Aaronson
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About this listen

 American ISIS tells the story of Russell Dennison, an American who converted to Islam and traveled to Syria to fight for the Islamic State. For more than six months, Russell secretly communicated with journalist Trevor Aaronson, sending more than 30 hours of recordings that detail his suburban upbringing, his pursuit by the FBI, his embrace of extremism, and his decision to live and die on distant battlefields. Russell’s recordings provide an unprecedented firsthand account of what it was like for an American to be part of one of the world’s most fearsome terrorist groups. A remarkable work of journalism and narrative storytelling, American ISIS brings listeners into a hidden world few Americans have witnessed - filled with jihadis, human smugglers, FBI agents, government informants, and nightly bombings. Trevor Aaronson, a journalist for The Intercept, tracks down the people who knew Russell in the United States and in the Middle East as he investigates and corroborates Russell’s incredible story, from his childhood in Pennsylvania to bombed-out Syrian villages thousands of miles from the life he’d once known. An Audible Original produced by The Intercept, Topic Studios, and Western Sound.©2021 First Look Institute, Inc. (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC Murder True Crime
Episodes
  • American ISIS Trailer

    American ISIS Trailer
    Jul 1 2021
    American ISIS is an eight-episode podcast that tells the remarkable story of Russell Dennison, an American ex-convict and Muslim convert who joined the Islamic State in Syria. As US and coalition airstrikes rained down on ISIS fighters in 2018 and 2019, Dennison secretly recorded dozens of hours of audio about his past and his life with ISIS and sent them to journalist Trevor Aaronson with one condition: Nothing he said could be revealed until he was captured or - more likely - killed.
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    Less than 1 minute
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  • Episode 1: Death and Life

    Episode 1: Death and Life
    Jul 15 2021

    As the Islamic State collapses in Syria, Russell Dennison contacts journalist Trevor Aaronson and says he wants to talk.
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    35 mins
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  • Episode 2: Beginnings

    Episode 2: Beginnings
    Jul 15 2021
    Russell’s typical suburban childhood features Saturday-morning cartoons, action figures under the Christmas tree, and a basketball hoop in the driveway. But his life takes a turn in his 20s, when he’s arrested in Pennsylvania for selling marijuana.
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    27 mins
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About the Creator and Performer

Trevor Aaronson is a contributing writer for The Intercept and a 2020 Arizona State University Future Security Fellow at New America. He is also executive director of the nonprofit Florida Center for Investigative Reporting and author of The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism. His 2015 TED Talk, "How this FBI strategy is actually creating U.S.-based terrorists," has been viewed more than 1 million times and translated into more than 20 languages. A two-time finalist for the Livingston Awards, Aaronson has won the MOLLY National Journalism Prize, the international Data Journalism Award, and the John Jay College/Harry Frank Guggenheim Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award. His work for The Intercept has won honors from the Online Journalism Awards for investigative data journalism and feature writing. Aaronson has been featured on CBS This Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered, MSNBC, This American Life, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, WNYC’s On the Media and The Leonard Lopate Show, among others.

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Crazy, it’s amazing how this story can suck you in.

I feel bad for this poor confused soul!

Hmmmmm

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Trevor Aaronson done an amazing job humanizing Russell as he tells the story of a man wanting to live free to worship his god, to live his religion and protect his family.

Another point of view

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It's a interesting look at the other side of the war effort. But why tf would you not work with someone to expose this terrorist. The journalist condemns the characters actions multiple times, but why would you honor a deal made with that scum. Should've exposed him and hopefully helped extract valuable Intel.

Juxtaposition

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Trevor was a great narrator and provided needed context without trampling on the story. Really enjoyed this!

Incredible Perspective

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the story is awesome. the left leaning view is not. He chose his path as well as his wife. the victims are his children and parents oh yeah lets not forget about the victims of isis. the author risked nothing but gained a story and reputation.

TYPICAL

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This is an incredible story- very well researched and told. I binged it because I found it so intriguing. It’s definitely worth listening to.

Fantastic Podcast

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I was hooked by the end of the first episode! This is a fascinating story of how one man completely rejected his family and culture to assimilate into a violent, war based existence! I was struck by the similarities between this story and stories about how people enter cult situations. While there are similarities this guy actively pursued membership versus being drawn in. This is thought provoking and definately worth the time to listen. Good job Mr. Aaronson!

Informative and riveting!

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interesting story and great journalism reflecting the other side of the coin. I hope this will help to 🛑

really interesting short story

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What’s really special about this is the first wealth of audio descriptions from one American about his journey first to converting to Islam, then radical forms of Islam and eventually Isis. The narrator does not offer up these recordings without pointing out the blind spots in what is said and there are clearly major blind dots but despite that it helped me see things through the lens of this American turned jihadi with more of a full picture of who he was than anything I’ve heard before covering these sorts of people. It made especially clear how much of the motive involves looking for a way to believe his life and actions were meaningful though of course the sad ending shows how much this was ultimately not true. What happened to his wife and children at the end is especially sad.

Good insight into an Americans journey

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You Won’t hear another story like this. But to say the least, I wasn’t impressed with Russel. He was completely delusional and selfish. No one is required to do anything in any respect, however, he took his jaded interpretation of islam - one of the ancient religions that now plague humanity with antiquated social dogma - and forced himself into a culture that despises his. Russel’s attempt to create a legacy in a world he believed to be beneath him speaks to his delusion. Bringing two innocent girls into the world and leaving them with nothing, filling the imagination of a poor Bedouin girl with dreams of more before he died easily, abandoning his mother, never facing the reality of the violent, amoral, relinquishment of reason that is ISIS; this is his legacy.

Trevor did great work tracing Russell’s demise and provides a one-of-a-kind insight into the mind of someone that would pursue such a goal. Russell was nothing to fear.

Unique story

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