Watched on October 5 2018

"The State" (a four-part British drama serial), Episode 4

  • written by and directed by written and directed by Peter Kosminsky

Jalal gets operated on.
Isaac wants to go to training camp.
Ziyad is a martyr.
Shakira decides to run away after receiving news of her husband's death, but struggles to convince Isaac of her plans. Isaac has changed (brainwashed) that he forbids her.

One of the prisoners who knew Jalal from before asks why he came to Syria. Jalal claims that he did in order to answer Allah and his Messenger. Then he says that he came to find out what happened to his brother “who died in Kobani”. The prisoner states that Jalal should not believe everything they tell him. He also goes on claiming that “some of the first Mujahideen were unhappy when they were made to stop fighting Assad and fight their own friends in the resistance. They tried to leave. There were executions every day in Raqqa. This happened at a time of Kobani.

Jalal tries to help Ibtisam and her daughter (“his slaves”) cross the border to safety; but they get caught and Ibtisam and her daughter are killed. Jalal is taken to be executed and filmed but it is just a show as many times the executioner has pretended. He is put in prison.

He is given another chance only if he is able to cut the throat of his pharmacist friend. But is not able to do it. Jalal’s friend does it while making Jalal watch him. And Jalal is recaptured.

Shakira and Isaac succeed in running away by a small boat. During the passport check to enter the UK, they both get interrogated. Shakira is offered either minimum 8 years of prison or she spies for the UK government in her community. In order to get her back in time, she agrees to spy.