(Swiss Info) Nora Illi, a controversial public figure who co-founded the Swiss Central Islamic Council (SCIS), died on Monday at the age of 35, after a long illness.
Perhaps Switzerland’s most widely publicised convert to Islam, Illi often attracted attention for her views, including her support of polygamy and her praise for people who travelled to Syria to wage “holy war.”
Originally from Zurich, Illi converted to Islam in 2002, aged 18, after a trip to Dubai. Prior to this, she had been a punk and had also been interested in Buddhism.
Along with her former husband, Qaasim Illi, she became active in the SCIS, a group which has also attracted controversy for its Salafist and extremist links.
(Text updated)
