ISIS made headlines during the past year when its forces seized portions of Syria and Iraq and declared the conquered area a “caliphate” and announced that its leader was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. More headlines announced a series of beheadings, a threat to move on to Baghdad, and a campaign against Yezidism, a small religious sect whose adherents were classified as infidels. Now seemingly stalled within the confines of their caliphate, ISIS has recently gained additional partisans in Libya and in northern Sudan where the murderous Boko Haram has terrorized area residents.
Recruits by the tens of thousands have relocated to the ISIS caliphate in order to assist al-Baghdadi. They came from France, England, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Australia, United States, and elsewhere to enlist in a force that intends to rule the planet. A report in the New York Times told of three teenage girls from Scotland who had just abandoned their families and moved on to Syria where they will marry jihadists and support the caliphate. The female recruiter for these girls, also from Scotland but living in Syria after relocating a year ago, contacted her anguished parents and informed them that she had no intention of returning and would see them again only on “judgment day” in heaven.
Passports of some French young people suspected of wanting to go to Syria have been confiscated by the authorities. In Australia, Prime Minister Abbott announced measures to tighten security and prevent possible emigration of anyone seeking to travel to ISIS. Similar moves have been taken in the United States.
Writing in The Atlantic after meeting with ISIS supporters in England, Australia, and elsewhere, journalist Graeme Wood pointed to the importance held by ISIS believers in establishing their caliphate. In Britain, well-known Islamic State cheerleader Anjem Choudray explained that haphazard offensive jihad is of no value without a caliphate and that waging war to expand its domination is essential. Choudray even claims that crucifixions and beheadings are “sacred requirements.” Wood noted that, according to the Islamic scholars he interviewed, sacred doctrine requires believers to reside in the caliphate. This impels Muslims to drop everything wherever they currently reside and head for the portion of Syria controlled by ISIS.
President Barack Obama insists that ISIS is “not Islamic.” Is he correct? Does he agree with the Italians who consider laughable any threat from ISIS? He insists that Islam is a peaceful religion that is being used by bad people. Time will tell if the threat posed by ISIS is a local problem or a threat to the entire world.
John F. McManus is president of The John Birch Society and publisher of The New American. This column appeared originally at the insideJBS blog and is reprinted here with permission.
