1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Hi me again. 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 2: I'm popping up with a little warning before we get 3 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 2: into the podcast. This is a story about a young 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 2: woman called Joy Morgan and her untimely death. It has 5 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 2: moments of light and plenty of love, but the podcast 6 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 2: contains darker themes too. This episode has strong language and 7 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 2: themes of sexual abuse that some listeners may find distressing. 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 2: Please listen with care for the victims and always for yourself. 9 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 3: I was sleeping and then I got a call from 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 3: my cousin, the same cousin that was living with her, 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 3: and she. 12 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: Was like, have you not seen the news Agnes is 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 2: about to hear will change her life forever. 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 3: And then she was like, Joy's missing. I was like, 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 3: what are you talking about? And then I just went 16 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 3: on my Snapchat and I just see her face everywhere, 17 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 3: plasted everywhere. 18 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: Agnes is talking to me about one of her best friends, 19 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: Joy Morgan. Joy was reported missing in February twenty nineteen, 20 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 2: just over six years ago. She was only twenty years old. 21 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 2: For Agnes, it's now been six years of unanswered questions, 22 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: six years of grief, six years of not knowing why. 23 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 3: I just couldn't grasp it. I couldn't grasp it at all. 24 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,839 Speaker 3: It was like your mourning, but you can't really mourn 25 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 3: because you just don't notice so many, so many moving pieces. 26 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: And the biggest moving piece, the biggest unknown, is Joy's church. 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 2: I U see Israel United in Christ. When Joy goes missing, 28 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: this Hebrew Israelite church with branches across the world and 29 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: an ever growing presence, is nowhere to be seen or heard. 30 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 3: So somebody in your church has gone missing, and nobody 31 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 3: wants to say anything. There's a big problem here. 32 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: Agnes just can't let it go. 33 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 2: She's confused by their silence, by the fact they haven't 34 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: reached out to any of Joy's family or her friends. 35 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 3: Where are these people? Why are you not speaking up 36 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 3: for her? Why are we having to fight for her? 37 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 3: Where are you? 38 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: Where is your voice? 39 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: Because your voice matters, because you know you're in that society, 40 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 3: You're there. 41 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: And still, after all this time, after all these years, 42 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 2: she's looking for answers. 43 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 3: I feel like Joy's death was so complicated, so complex. 44 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 3: Until today you don't know what did she do to 45 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 3: deserve that? What did she do that was so bad? 46 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 3: What did she do that you that you just had 47 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: to take her away? I think our fever ask those 48 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 3: questions until the truth friendly comes up. 49 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 2: I also have browning questions about Joy and about this 50 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: church that she was a part of. And now, after 51 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 2: years of searching, I finally met some people who were 52 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 2: on the inside, people who actually knew Joy's killer and 53 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 2: who might just be. 54 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: Able to tell me what happened. 55 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: From Free Turn, I'm Charlie Brinker's cuff and this is 56 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 2: the Missing Sister, Episode two, The Body. Ever since I 57 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: started reporting on Joy Morgan's disappearance, I've always been struck 58 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: by the church she decided to join before she went missing, 59 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: Israel United in Christ. 60 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 4: I U. 61 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 2: I see, it's not just a church, it's a movement. 62 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 2: When I went to stake them out, it was clear 63 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 2: that they didn't want to be found. This is what 64 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: I reflected on just after I walked past, seeing the 65 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: church for the first time. 66 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 5: It just makes me desperately sad that this is where 67 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 5: she spent some of her last days in some back 68 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 5: Ali and Ilford, being told lies and being told that 69 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 5: she was safe, when actually it. 70 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: Was someone from the church. 71 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 5: It was someone from the congregation who ended up murdering her. 72 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: This church where Joy used to spend all of her 73 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: Saturdays is down a quiet street in East London, hidden 74 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: behind back doors, with sullen faced security on guard. But 75 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: in other ways you can't miss them. With their bright costumes, 76 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 2: their loud street preaching and their even louder social media presence. 77 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: They strike the balance between creating a public presence to 78 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: get more members and keeping themselves isolated as a form 79 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: of self protection. But I should take a step back 80 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: here because to understand us, to really get who they are. 81 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: You need to understand the Hebrew Israelites. 82 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 6: This is black separatist movement that has a particular interpretation 83 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 6: of the Bible. 84 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: This is Heidi Birik. She's the founder of the Global 85 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: Project Against Hate and Extremism. She knows a lot about 86 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 2: the Hebrew Israelites and Auic thanks to her research work. 87 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 6: In which the twelve tribes of Israel are actually black 88 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 6: or Native American, you know, people of color essentially. 89 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 2: In terms of Auic. Specifically, they're believed to be one 90 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: of the largest Israelite churches in the world. Picture the 91 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 2: women as black tradwives, the men as unashamed patriarchs. They 92 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 2: often describe themselves and their people as kings and queens. 93 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: Some people teasingly call them the Purple Power Rangers. They're 94 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 2: known for their distinctive dress sense, wearing long flowing robes 95 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: in a regal deep purple with gold accents, tassels or 96 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: fringes on their clothing. All wear head coverings. The group 97 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: emerged out of Harlem in the early naughties, and their 98 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: leader is a man named Bishop Nathaniel ben Israel. You 99 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 2: can find plenty of videos of him on YouTube. 100 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 4: Because there are a lot of our people that are 101 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 4: stuck in Christianity. White man Jesus, white man Jesus. If 102 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 4: Jesus ain't white, we don't want to. 103 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 2: Like many of the Israelites. Nathaniel changed his surname to 104 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: honor the lost tribe he believes his people are descended from. 105 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 2: He's a former detective, a powerful orator, a man with 106 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: big ambitions, keen to see his organizations stretch its tendrils 107 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: across the US and beyond IUC. Under his leadership, has 108 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: an ever evolving, hugely successful social media presence. They release 109 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: videos about life within the church, marriages, feasts, street preaching 110 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 2: that even have their own record label where they regularly 111 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: release music. They draw people in by making themselves look slick, classy, exciting. 112 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: The organization came to the UK in twenty twelve and 113 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 2: Joy joined in late twenty fifteen. By twenty sixteen, they 114 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 2: were recruiting in earnest. 115 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 4: I just hated Christians at the time because to me, 116 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 4: I felt that everything I had learned was a lie. 117 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: Meet James. 118 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 2: We've given him a fake name to protect his identity 119 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: as he's worried about speaking out against AUIC. He is 120 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 2: dark skinned, clean shaven, no hair on his head. He 121 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 2: shaved off his beard when he left AUC seven years ago. 122 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 2: But how did he become part of the church to 123 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: begin with? 124 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 4: So I researched the origins of the Hebrews and that movement, 125 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 4: and I noticed a lot of them were really radical. 126 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 4: But then these guys in the Purple and Gold now 127 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 4: seem to be a bit more mellow. 128 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 2: James is from London. He grew up in a Christian 129 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 2: household with his siblings. Although there were moments of lights, 130 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: overall it was a tough isolating upbringing. 131 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 4: My dad's ruled the house of iron Fist. We grew 132 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 4: up this kind of like respect for authority. 133 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: We weren't allowed to go to anybody's house, no birthday parties. 134 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: Anything like that is ungodly. 135 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 5: We literally we weren't really tight as brother and sisters 136 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 5: because we only had each other. 137 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: That's Zoey, James's sister. She's also been given a fake name. Initially, 138 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 2: she just wanted to support her brother. She didn't plan 139 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: on being interviewed for the podcast, but sitting next to 140 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 2: him in the studio, she ended up chiming in. James 141 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: was already used to going to church regularly. Church has 142 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: been my life, he tells me. That's the way it always. 143 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: Had been for him. 144 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,839 Speaker 2: So when he was let down by his Christian church 145 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 2: and the people within it, it hurt all the more. 146 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: Here's Zoe again. 147 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 4: There has been letdowns in the church. They were told 148 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 4: if the whores, they were told you, people said they've 149 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 4: got demons on them, you know, things of that nature. 150 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 4: I'm sorry. 151 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: When Zoe was a young girl, her father sexually abused her. 152 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 2: It tore the whole family apart. James witnessed just how 153 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 2: badly his sister was treated by the church. Despite what 154 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: happened to them, James and Zoe kept their faith. Eventually, 155 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 2: together they attended a different Christian church, a new church 156 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 2: that promised salvation, But once again James found himself betrayed 157 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 2: by those in power. James says that at this church 158 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 2: he experienced blackmail, manipulation, and public humiliation. 159 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 4: The pastor that was within that place. I opened my 160 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 4: heart to this guy. 161 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: It was a kind of ministry that her if you 162 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: bringthed off it personal to them privately, the next Sunday 163 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: it'll be talking about on the pulpit. For James, enough 164 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: was enough. 165 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 4: I'd started to get a bit disgruntled. I just didn't 166 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 4: like the things I've seen are in church. 167 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: So the Christian Church had betrayed him, not once, but twice. 168 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: He felt he had no choice but to find solace elsewhere. 169 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 2: He was devastated by how he'd been treated, and his 170 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 2: new religious organization, a u C presented itself as being 171 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 2: in opposition to Christianity. 172 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: That was how they hooked him. 173 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 4: When you're seeing an organization now, a new movement speaking 174 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 4: from the same Bible that you raised up with. They're 175 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 4: calling the church out and they're calling out these type 176 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 4: of things. But I'm like, they're onto something here. 177 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 2: And James wasn't the only one whose trauma was leading 178 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:35,959 Speaker 2: him into the path of the Israelites. 179 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 7: iiO suffered raising him, and I didn't understand why I 180 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 7: was being treated that way. And at school for the 181 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 7: talk about our history was slavery. So I grew up thinking, Okay, 182 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 7: that's all we are, these slaves. 183 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: This is another ex member of a US, Malachi Israel. 184 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 2: He's based in Wolverhampton, a small city in central England 185 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 2: which became home to many black Caribbeans in the Windrush era. 186 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 2: Like James, he also joined the church in twenty sixteen, 187 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: now in his forties, Malachi grew up under the shadow 188 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 2: of nine to eleven, when conspiracy theories started to circulate 189 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 2: en Mass. He came across the Hebrew Israelites online while 190 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: watching videos about the terrorist attack, which led him to 191 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: theories about the ancient Egyptians being black, and then finally 192 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 2: to the Hebrew Israelites, who, as we know, believed that 193 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,440 Speaker 2: black people are the real Jews. He was quickly drawn 194 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 2: in and started sharing what many are UC members call 195 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 2: the truth. 196 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 8: As also by a patch from my life. Then A 197 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 8: started to drink Kristoff and the Nai dropping cross Rati. 198 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 2: This is Nathan Israel, one of Malachi's best friends. He's 199 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 2: also in his forties and from Wolverhampton. Even though they 200 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: have the same surname, they're not related. Many Hebrew Israelites 201 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 2: change their names to honor their religion. The pair have 202 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 2: come down to meet me in London. Malachi smart, a 203 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 2: little reserved, thoughtful, Nathan with a slightly rest energy in 204 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 2: a special way with words. He was known within AUIC 205 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 2: for his ability to memorize scripture. The pair have known 206 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 2: each other since they were young, when they made music 207 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 2: together and always got on well. Nathan had never heard 208 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: of the Israelites before, let alone AUIC, until one day 209 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 2: Malachi showed up to the prison and spoke to him 210 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 2: about the Israelites in depth, told him to do his 211 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 2: own research. After he was released, Nathan joined IUIC alongside him. 212 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 2: For these men, entering AUIC felt like a homecoming respite. 213 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 2: They were able to come together to find solace and 214 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 2: strength in each other's company. Malachi and Nathan remember the 215 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,959 Speaker 2: UK camp when it was in its infancy, before they 216 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 2: even had a proper space to gather. When they congregated 217 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: in each other's homes. 218 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 7: My first impression, I'm going to say even was really good, 219 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 7: I have to say. And when I got there, they 220 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,079 Speaker 7: really welcomed the slag and if a long lost and 221 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 7: I felt like the women were so polite, the men 222 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 7: was polite. Everybody just really was really loving. I was like, Wow, 223 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 7: this is amazing. And I felt like I didn't feel 224 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 7: lost anyone. I always felt lost, and I felt like 225 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 7: I was home when I wasn't lost anymore. 226 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: Like joy. 227 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 2: They'd been on a quest for belonging, and now they 228 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 2: were part of a tribe, a tribe in a country 229 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 2: where black people are so often treated like second class 230 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 2: citizens across so many indicators healthcare, schooling, job opportunities, mental health, 231 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: and criminalization. Black Brits are known to struggle. Black British 232 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: men specifically, are too often unfairly viewed as aggressive, as 233 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: gang members or as criminals. So when opportunity comes knocking, 234 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: promising access to a world of safety, success and supremacy, 235 00:13:55,679 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 2: there is an allure, especially if someone's already struggling. For 236 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 2: these men, at the years of feeling let down by 237 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 2: the establishment and disenfranchised, they had found their family and 238 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: the truth. They also felt like men again. In this 239 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 2: day and age, the crisis of masculinity extends beyond class 240 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 2: boundaries and racial lines, and right now it feels like 241 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 2: more Black British men than ever are drawn toward hyper 242 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,359 Speaker 2: misogyny disguised as an interest in the importance of brotherhood 243 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 2: and personal growth or self improvement. 244 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 9: I think that's the mentality or for it, and I 245 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 9: think that's why a lot of guys end up going 246 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 9: down that route. 247 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: Earlier, we met James and this is his son. We'll 248 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 2: call him Elijah. He was a teen when his dad 249 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: joined AUIC, and although he never considered himself a member, 250 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 2: he still attended a handful of sermons out of respect 251 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 2: for James. 252 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 9: If you're in a place where you feel like your 253 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 9: masculinity is being suppressed, it's like, Okay, I want to 254 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 9: find a place where I'm not going to have to 255 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 9: suppress myself. 256 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 2: Within the church, the men were treated like royalty. The 257 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: congregation at the beginning felt charitable, warm and open. 258 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 4: I remember they were saying to us, and they were saying, look, 259 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 4: we're all family, we look out for each other. 260 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 8: It's cheerful, innocent, sincere people in these congregations. It's just 261 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 8: that they want to have a belonging. It's been an 262 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 8: orphan and you've now been adopted into a family. 263 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: They joined study groups attended weekly Saturday services known as 264 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 2: the Sabbath, and enjoyed big, flashy religious events like Passover 265 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 2: and the week long feast of the Tabernacles. 266 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: And perhaps most. 267 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 2: Importantly, each week James, Nathan and Malachi would go out 268 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 2: to preach on the street with the other men spreading 269 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 2: their interpretation of the Bible. 270 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 4: You go out on the streets first on the mornings, 271 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 4: then you congregate from between one and two right up 272 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 4: to one o'clock at night. It all day. 273 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 8: He felt like I had the use of purpose in 274 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 8: life external to you just doing your daily to. 275 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 4: Use as well. 276 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: And after serving time in prison, Nathan finally had some 277 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: positive structure in his life. His family couldn't be happier 278 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 2: for him. 279 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 8: They can see from how you were before to that 280 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 8: there is a change in the sincerity even your manners 281 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 8: and how you approach people, your organization, your self discipline. 282 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 4: It was like an enhardced version, you know. 283 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 2: Quickly their whole lives revolved around the church. Malachi and 284 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 2: Nathan were even promoted and moved up the ranks. R 285 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 2: UIC has six ranks that formed the congregation, also known 286 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 2: as the body. Starting at the bottom are sisters and 287 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 2: brothers and then their soldiers, officers, captains, deacons and finally bishops. 288 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 2: According to them, only men can move up the ranks, 289 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 2: and to do so you have to pass certain tests 290 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 2: which revolve around learning scripture, working hard for the body, 291 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 2: and offering regular and generous donations of money, and of 292 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 2: course being liked by leadership. Both Malachi and Nathan became 293 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: part of the second rung. They were soldiers. In the UK, 294 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 2: the highest ranking leaders are captains, just two ranks above them. 295 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 2: By the time James joined the London camp of the 296 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 2: Church in twenty sixteen, he says there were around one 297 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 2: hundred and forty members, including the people in the West 298 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: Midlands camp, which is where Malachi and Nathan congregated. Overall, 299 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 2: there were more women than men, and one of those 300 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 2: women was Joy Morgan. At Iuice, Joy worked as something 301 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: akin to a Sunday school teacher, looking after the children, 302 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 2: teaching them. But it's not just because of her caring 303 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:05,239 Speaker 2: responsibilities that James remembers her so well. He has a 304 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: very specific memory of Joy, a memory that will perhaps 305 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: help us to understand how she was treated by the 306 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 2: church and what role she played within it. 307 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 4: I don't remember sisters, but I remember Joy because she 308 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 4: stood out. 309 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 2: Let's go back to the eight months before Joy went missing. 310 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 2: Passover twenty eighteen. It's one of the most important weeks 311 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 2: in the Hebrew Israelite calendar, the recognition of when Moses 312 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 2: led the ancient Israelites from bondage to freedom from slavery 313 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 2: in Egypt to liberation within ur Us. They commemorate the 314 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 2: day with a passover feast, classes, and other celebrations. In 315 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 2: the run up has lots of things to be done. 316 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 4: They had women taking the measurements of everybody, brothers as 317 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 4: well as sisters. 318 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: This is when James properly met Joy for the first time. 319 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,439 Speaker 2: We already know that she had taught herself how to 320 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,360 Speaker 2: sew and make her own clothes, so it's no surprise 321 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 2: to learn that Joy was one of the sisters taking measurements. 322 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 2: That day, James was told by one of the officers 323 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 2: to go to Joy to be measured. James's wife was 324 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 2: also there as a witness. 325 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,880 Speaker 4: She took my measurements, and then I'm thinking, Okay, when 326 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 4: the time comes, I'll get my garment. 327 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 2: Fast forward to two weeks before passover. James has a problem. 328 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 4: I'm seeing the other guys get in their garments and 329 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 4: I'm like, there's mine. 330 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 2: James's garments haven't arrived, and the leadership is confused. They 331 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: ask for evidence that he's paid for the garments, which 332 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 2: he shows them. He's then asked which sister had taken 333 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 2: his measurements. 334 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 4: So don't know. Her name is a young girl of 335 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 4: the Glasses, He says, Joy, and see that's the one. 336 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 2: But according to what James remembers, when Joy was approached 337 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 2: by leadership about his garments, she had a different answer. 338 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:02,439 Speaker 4: I don't know why Joy said that, but this is 339 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 4: my memory of Joy. So she said, no, why don't 340 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 4: take his measurements. 341 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,239 Speaker 2: At this point, James says, his wife spoke up and 342 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 2: confirmed his story. Remember she witnessed Joy taking James's measurements 343 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 2: to them. Joy wasn't telling the truth. Surely there'd be 344 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 2: a repercussion for that, or. 345 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 4: Perhaps not Riison telling you this is because Joy was 346 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 4: close the leadership. 347 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 2: I want to interrogate this a little bit more. We 348 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,920 Speaker 2: know that Joy was super smart, super switched on, incredibly 349 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 2: loyal to the church. It's James really just telling me 350 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 2: this because he thinks it's important, or is it a 351 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 2: hangover from when James was part of the church, connected 352 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 2: to the strict rules they have around women and men associating. 353 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 2: And could it be that Joy was afraid of admitting 354 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 2: her mistake because I U I see was a high 355 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 2: control environment and she might get in trouble either way. James' 356 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: is adamant. 357 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,360 Speaker 4: She was too close observed it that I say, hands down, 358 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 4: She just way too close. So none of the other 359 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 4: females that I saw there was so close. 360 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 2: With the leadership, He's stuck on this point. It's his 361 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 2: overriding memory of Joy, a young woman flying too close 362 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 2: to the sun, a sister who knew too much. But 363 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 2: what does it really mean? I want to take you 364 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 2: inside a U S. Properly, inside the actual church building. 365 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 2: When I say church, you might be picturing an old 366 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 2: chapel or cathedral with pews and an organ, But in reality, 367 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 2: a lot of churches in London and around the UK 368 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: are home spun, decked out community halls, plastic floors and 369 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 2: stackable chairs. Maybe I U S was no different. They'd 370 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 2: meet in community halls which the church would hire out, 371 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 2: and Peckham and then in Ilford, where the church is 372 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 2: still based. Remember the brown inconspicuous building with the camera 373 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 2: and the barbed wire that I saw. I've made a 374 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 2: big deal out of the fact that to me the 375 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,199 Speaker 2: church seemed ominous. But there is some beauty in the 376 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 2: fact that people find these spaces to congregate in regardless 377 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 2: of their esthetic, especially if they're from marginalized communities with 378 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 2: less money and capital than other demographics. And we know 379 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 2: that for the most part, Joy was happy there. Any 380 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 2: space can be seen as ominous by people who don't 381 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 2: know love and understand it. Even so, there were some things, 382 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: many things in fact about us that were at the 383 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 2: very least unusual. It was nothing like the Christian churches 384 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 2: that James and his son Elijah were used to. 385 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 4: The only thing that give it away is that if 386 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 4: you're trying to look for them, you'll see the sum 387 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 4: soldiers outside, so they'll be like call two or free 388 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 4: by the door. There'll be guarding that door, and once 389 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 4: you go through, if you can get past them, you 390 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 4: got another three or four more behind it. 391 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 2: They're not real soldiers, obviously, but ur Us uses militaristic 392 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 2: language on purpose. They take their ranks and their rules seriously, 393 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 2: and on the ground, it's a super securely guarded church. 394 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 2: You can't just walk in. You can't just saunter in 395 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 2: off the street. If you want access into one of 396 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,920 Speaker 2: Ouic's buildings, then you have to register. 397 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 4: If their name is on that list, they're not getting 398 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 4: in regardless of who you are. 399 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: Plus there's one additional layer of security all members need 400 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 2: to pass. 401 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 9: The setup was very military, like you've got like searched, 402 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,159 Speaker 9: patted down before you stepped in. 403 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 4: Pat it down. Yeah, you can get patted down. 404 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: They're like full on legs everything. Yeah, even women and 405 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 2: children are patted down and checked. No one is exempt. 406 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 4: I remember seeing off one of the deacons saying, listen, 407 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 4: we'll check your diapers if we have to. 408 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 2: And once you finally manage to get inside, with everyone 409 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 2: dressed formally clutching their bibles, it's like stepping into a 410 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: different world, you. 411 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 4: Know, like the movies. 412 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 9: You have like courtrooms or press conferences even actually, and 413 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 9: you've got like a main desk and then there's people 414 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 9: sitting at that desk, and then you have like the 415 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 9: reporters and the journalists. That's exactly how it was set up. 416 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: Picture it. 417 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 2: At the front of the room where the leaders sit 418 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 2: is a main desk with the golden IUIC symbol. Hanging 419 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 2: above before them is the congregation or the body. Sisters 420 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,680 Speaker 2: on the left, brothers on the right, and whether you're 421 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: high up in rank or not, everybody has to pull 422 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 2: their weight. 423 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 9: I remember guys being grilled for like not reading their bibles. 424 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 9: If you're not flicking through the Bible fast enough. It's very, 425 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 9: very military like, almost like a boot. 426 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 2: Iuic has their own way of doing things and there 427 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 2: is little to no room for negotiation. The sexes are 428 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,439 Speaker 2: divided and have different roles in the church. While the 429 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 2: men are out on the streets preaching, the women are 430 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 2: in the kitchens sewing, looking after the children. Some of 431 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 2: our sources have said that as women in AUC they 432 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: felt voiceless, were demeaned. 433 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 4: It's quite misogynistic, you know. As well. Women don't have 434 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 4: much of a voice. 435 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 2: And the more time the ex members spent within the church, 436 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 2: the more they felt like darkness was seeping in. It 437 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 2: started to feel like things weren't quite right. James remembers 438 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 2: that people would eavesdrop on his conversations, that people would 439 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 2: be kicked out of the church for all sorts of 440 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 2: petty or hateful reasons, and he started to witness more 441 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 2: serious things too. 442 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 4: A lot of women got kicked out, and we know 443 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 4: catty behaved with each other. And then the most common 444 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 4: one is people that were fornicating. 445 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 2: Would you say it was a higher control, very environment, 446 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 2: very very very The workloads started to rise as the 447 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 2: church continued to expand and formalize. There was the expectation 448 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 2: that you must give your everything to God, your everything 449 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 2: to our u s. 450 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 7: When we became soldiers, it was like we couldn't really 451 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 7: get much rest. We had to work full time because 452 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 7: we're were looking after that found as I was working 453 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 7: like a seventeen hour shift, Yeah, I'll be tired, but 454 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,360 Speaker 7: then I have to still do work for them as well. 455 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 4: He crushed these cards. Get yeah, you crushed it. 456 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 7: Actually, I was so tired before that crush. 457 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 4: Movent Yeah lost. 458 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 8: He lost one of these jobs because of the pressure 459 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 8: of this congregation. 460 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 2: But perhaps the biggest thing that we haven't yet explained 461 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 2: is that a UIC's beliefs are seen by many people 462 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: as hateful. They have strongly negative attitudes toward white people 463 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 2: and mixed race black people with white fathers. They've been 464 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: accused of anti Semitism. They dislike outsiders, and they encourage 465 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 2: their members to cut off friends and family who are 466 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 2: not in the truth. They're homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic. Women 467 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 2: should be demure, respectful, and definitely not a Jezebel personally. 468 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 9: I don't agree with a lot of things that they preach. 469 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 9: I don't agree with their morals where it's based off 470 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 9: of hate and superiority, and I don't respect that. 471 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: Here's Aladia again, who was only a child when he 472 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 2: was first exposed to these teachings. 473 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 9: The leaders that I remember, they did come across very 474 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 9: power hungry and self absorbed. 475 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 2: All in all, the picture isn't pretty, even if it's 476 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 2: easy to understand by some Black people have been pushed 477 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 2: toward these attitudes and behaviors through disenfranchisement. But to track back, 478 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 2: the realities of UIC meant that James was slowly but 479 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,440 Speaker 2: surely being isolated from his friends and family outside of 480 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 2: the church, including his sister Zoe. Zoe met her now husband, 481 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 2: a white man, and they had children together, raised a family. 482 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 2: The only way she and her brother James would communicate 483 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 2: was through their mum. 484 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 4: I cut them off completely, and I said, look, mom, 485 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 4: if you talk to them, let them know this this 486 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 4: is my stance, and that was it. 487 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 2: Any member of the body who was caught fraternizing or 488 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 2: in a romantic or sexual relationship with a white person 489 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 2: faced consequences. 490 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 4: There was this guy, and I really liked this guy. 491 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 4: He was one of the soldiers, you know, helped people 492 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 4: come in in and so for very friendly and he 493 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 4: had a child four of a Caucasian woman and he 494 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 4: went to leadership to confess than they look, he's still 495 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 4: sleeping of his is child's mother. 496 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 2: Despite the fact that this member was a soldier, second 497 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: rung of the ranks and was liked by James and 498 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 2: others in the body, the leadership stuck to their rules. 499 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 4: We're going to make an example of him. We're not 500 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 4: having that here. So he got on kicked out. 501 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 9: It was an uneasy feene and being there because it's 502 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 9: like anything you'd do, it seems to be like a 503 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 9: under a microscope from these people. 504 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 4: It's not nice. It's not nice at all. 505 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 2: Being kicked out of the body wasn't uncommon at are 506 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 2: you I see? But the leadership used another method to 507 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 2: keep the body in check as well, to make sure 508 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 2: that everything was running smoothly in the way it was 509 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 2: supposed to a method of control that our sources have 510 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 2: called traumatizing. This method that leadership would use to keep 511 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 2: everyone in check is called standing up or being stood up, 512 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: but really it could be looked at as ritual public humiliation. 513 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 2: If a member of the congregation was viewed to have sinned, 514 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 2: to have done something wrong, they would have to stand up. 515 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: Picture it. 516 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 2: You're in church one day, surrounded by your peers. Your 517 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 2: name is called by leadership, You are asked to stand, 518 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 2: Then you are berated for as long as half an hour. 519 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 2: Your sin and possibly your private life, is disseminated in 520 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 2: front of your friends, the people who you call family. 521 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 2: You're insulted, ridiculed, called heinous names. It's degrading, demeaning, awful, 522 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: and you can't speak up to protect yourself. The rest 523 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 2: of the congregation might sit in silence as leadership continues 524 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 2: to shout. They might laugh, they might whisper, and you'll 525 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 2: be left broken. 526 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 4: But it's not a dan. 527 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 9: Do you know when you get that feeding way, you 528 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 9: just I don't want to be here. 529 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 4: And I want to get out. 530 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 9: It's like that, It's like that feeling of a cownd 531 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 9: to go home. 532 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 4: Now I can remember thinking I am not getting pulled 533 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 4: up like this. You know that's not going to happen 534 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 4: to me. 535 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 2: For James, there's one specific case of someone in Auic 536 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 2: being stood up that stands out in his mind. It 537 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 2: was only his second time congregating. He was fresh, keen, 538 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 2: excited to be there, happy to ignore some of the 539 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 2: things that made him uncomfortable. They must have deserved it, 540 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 2: he thought when he saw this person being stood up. 541 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 2: James watches as a man is stood up in front 542 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 2: of the body. His rank within the congregation is that 543 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:47,239 Speaker 2: of a soldier. The man is tall and charming, but 544 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 2: not particularly well groomed, scruffy almost. He has a big afro, 545 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 2: but sometimes wears his hair braided back. Elijah remembers him too. 546 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 9: I wouldn't say he was big by you do anything 547 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 9: like that, But just in terms of a guy that 548 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 9: just can be physically intimidating, I would say, yeah, he 549 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 9: ticked that box. 550 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 2: He has a loud voice and an unusual accent, a 551 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 2: blend between Nigerian and American. It's unmissible. According to James. 552 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 2: The guy being stood up accused the brother of a 553 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 2: higher rank of stealing his lyrics. 554 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 4: There was a dispute over some rap song that they 555 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 4: were doing. He was violent towards this person. 556 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 2: This a US soldier, is publicly reprimanded, rebuked and demoted 557 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,360 Speaker 2: within our US. The motions were used as a control tactic. 558 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,239 Speaker 2: According to James, for anyone it happens to, it's a 559 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 2: bruising experience, a loss of status. 560 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,360 Speaker 4: And I remember that look on his face, like you 561 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 4: not taking this from me type thing that stuck out. 562 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 2: The government name of this man, this soldier who has 563 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 2: just lost his rank, is Ajibolah Shoghbamimu and he is 564 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 2: very important to this story. He moved to the UK 565 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 2: from Nigeria in nineteen ninety seven and joined US in 566 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 2: December twenty sixteen, the same year as Joi. Once he 567 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 2: joined the organization, he changed his name to Chauffeur l Israel, 568 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: naming himself after the Chofar a ramshorn used in ancient 569 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 2: times as a signaling trumpet. 570 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 4: Because you have a very loud voice. That's why he 571 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 4: chose that name. 572 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 2: And why am I telling you this Because Chauffeur l 573 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: Israel is the man who is found guilty. 574 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: Of the murder of Joi Morgan. 575 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 2: What I haven't yet told you is that James didn't 576 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 2: just see Chauffeur L being stood up. It turns out 577 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 2: he knew him very well during the three years he 578 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 2: spent in the church. James was in close proximity to 579 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 2: show for L, and he knows more about show for 580 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 2: L and his relationship with Joy. 581 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: Than we could have ever expected. 582 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 4: After that we should, but chauffeur getting arrested? Why am 583 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 4: I not surprised? Yeah? Why am I not surprised? 584 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:22,799 Speaker 2: If you have information you would like to share with 585 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 2: us about Joy Morgan or Iuic, please email The Missing 586 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 2: Sister Podcast at gmail dot com. If you've been affected 587 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 2: by any issues in this podcast and need someone to 588 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 2: talk to. The Samaritans are always available day or night, 589 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 2: three hundred and sixty five days a year. You can 590 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 2: call them for free on one one six one two three, 591 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 2: email them at Joe at Samaritans dot org, or visit 592 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 2: Samaritans dot org to find your nearest branch for advice, 593 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 2: support and options. If you or someone you love goes missing, 594 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 2: text or call Missing People on one one six zero 595 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:09,720 Speaker 2: zero zero, or visit www dot missing people dot org 596 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 2: dot UK. The Missing Sister Podcast has partnered with The 597 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 2: Mirror on their Missed campaign highlighting forgotten cases of missing people. 598 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 2: To support the campaign, please sign the petition linked to 599 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 2: pressure the government into publishing a new Missing Children and 600 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:28,839 Speaker 2: Adult strategy, invest in prevention for those at most risk 601 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 2: of going missing, and offer support to every missing child 602 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 2: or adult on their return.