Shamima Begum has undergone a dramatic makeover that would shame any self-respecting Islamist. Now 21, the former Daesh terrorist was sought out for an interview by the Daily Telegraph. Intriguingly, she refused to give an interview, but agreed to pose for a series of photographs. Dressed in a tracksuit top, loose fitting t-shirt and not a hijab in sight, her motivation behind the photo shoot is not difficult to fathom.
Begum clearly still harbours a desire to return to her country of birth and why wouldn't she? Here, she can live a life of relative luxury at the expense of the British taxpayer. She would undoubtedly provide nothing positive to society whatsoever, while reaping all the benefits that Western society offers. There is a name for that in the natural world - it's called a parasite.
There is irony in abundance here. This is the girl who turned her back on Britain and was still espousing the values of the Islamic State long after her capture by the Kurds. Now she longs for the despotic West that Daesh vowed to destroy.
Over time Begum has realised that while Britain is a soft touch, its government can be swayed by public opinion and that is where her cause continues to fall drastically short. Her first makeover last year was much more subtle than her current guise, but its intention was the same. Gone was the black hijab, replaced by a purple headscarf and lighter clothing. Placed very deliberately in the background was a Union flag cushion.
This photo shoot and the accompanying interview failed to soften the resolve of the British people. In any case, she was still unrepentant in her assertion she had done anything wrong in the first place.
Perhaps this is the reason why she declined to speak to the Telegraph. She still holds onto this belief and can't quite let go of her Islamist roots. She can prostitute herself for the cameras in a desperate bid to invite sympathy, but she can't quite speak the words that would condemn her past and the terrorists with whom she allied herself. She is a fraud and the Daily Telegraph should be ashamed of itself for entertaining her.
