marea syria/beirut shaven-headed former jihadists fill classroom northern syria muslim cleric teach moderate form islam version impose islamic state self-proclaimed caliphate class new rehabilitation center islamic state members set town marea north aleppo area control syrian rebel group back turkey center set october mean address problem emerge across swathe syria iraq handle thousands people live join islamic state enforce brutal rule islamic state use public kill torture enforce draconian religious code sexually enslave captive women slaughter prisoners war members enemy tribes self-styled caliphate verge defeat lose large tracts territory major towns cities syria iraq although members come abroad conviction many others local people join group protect earn money accord official center 25 ex-members center take class religious doctrine law psychological counsel mandatory get individual sessions help wean extremist ideology center fund director well small donations staff volunteer marea besiege never capture last year rebel back turkish army drive nearby areas judge rebel-held areas try islamic state members capture defect sentence include time center guard security team center evaluate former jihadists month share view local authorities base release decisions center recommendations dress long-sleeved orange shirt black vest ex-jihadists listen lecturer sheikh mohammad al-mahmoud ask question islamic rule one answer join islamic state force islam people even know answer ask civilians across syria iraq often reject former militants hold responsible kill people area destroy towns cities enter former members center arm insurgents center lawyer say brutal administrative areas islamic state overwhelm majority join protect bare minimum live ibrahim najjar say people join obtain canister cook gas add militants also tend marry locals daughters say initially target daughters influential families late years marry daughters small families call family tie recruit father brothers informants interview reuters center former member khalil abdul-ghafur speak formal arabic islamic state prefer version language center director remind switch back syrian dialect 14-year-old village near aleppo say join jihadist group insurgents arrive take lessons sharia islamic law train use light heavy weapons dispatch al-bab near marea wound twice time return militant rank recover leave find rebel detain father membership group ask join islamic state abdul-ghafur first silent know tell use show us video clip eventually say talk us heaven freedom elaborate life islamic state say center good food clothe lessons intend go back school release complete education school bomb ersin khizri 22 leave home ukraine travel syria wife baby daughter join rank fight iraq leave group january find unjust say turn rebel syria daesh leave say use arabic acronym islamic state know outside situation like men center watch movies play chess spare time smoke cigarettes ban divide three categories commit crimes civilians foreign members house former school center hold ex-jihadists caucasus uzbekistan ukraine tunisia iraq countries hussein naser center director say men stay year mainly capabilities hold long goals center defeat extremist ideology members ensure safety leave center live civilians naser say turkey-backed rebel syria put jihadists rehab