"I was a tricycle driver," says Allen. "I was about to go through Mapandi Bridge in Marawi City, but then a man wearing black clothing blocked my path. He was pointing a gun at me, so I stopped. He then handed me an M16 and said I should join them. I joined them because I felt couldn't get out; I was forced."
 
Allen was also offered money; P50,000 was provided to ensure his loyalty. There were other young men like him who were also happy to have been provided with such a relatively large sum. He says that propaganda and misinformation was also used to convince them to stay.
 
"We were told that the Christians living in Marawi would steal our homes," says Allen. "At the time, I was happy when someone got killed when I shot them, but I was also afraid because someone might shoot me."
 
Allen was inside the main battle area for nearly the entire duration of the siege Marawi before being injured by a piece of shrapnel hitting his head. When asked if he would ever join an extremist group again, Allen expressed mixed views. He says, “I won't fight anymore. I won't go back. But I believe my contributions in the fight of Marawi will earn me a place in heaven. I hope my brothers who have died are now in paradise."

Motivators for extremism can be highly individual as well as context-based. Further data, research and communities of practice will be vital to identify and create monitoring systems and knowledge that provide governments and societies with the tools to understand and act on growing extremist views and violence in their communities as new challenges arise.