Chilling ISIS video shows politicians in the crosshairs
NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – A new and gruesome video released by the Islamic State reportedly shows the "nine lions of the caliphate" who carried out the devastating terror attacks in Paris in November 2015 discussing their plans months before the attack and just moments before seven of them execute a prisoner each.
The 18-minute video, made public by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a group working to expose bias toward radical Islam in regional media, also shows both French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron with simulated targets on their foreheads – an overt threat to the leaders of the two nations.
Titled "Kill Them Wherever You Find Them," a reference to the Koran (2:191), the video is not dissimilar from the group's other propaganda videos. However, this video makes a direct appeal to Muslims living in the West to follow in the footsteps of the Paris attackers and kill infidels in their homes.
"The following are the final messages of the nine lions of the Caliphate who were sent forth from their dens to bring an entire country – France – to her knees. They raised the word of tawhid (monotheism) and lived the verses of the Koran by killing the infidels wherever they found them. And they continued to do so until their thirst for success was quenched with nothing other than their own blood," the narrator of the video says as he blames western powers for the Paris attacks.
In the understanding of radical Islamists, Christianity and Judaism are both enemies of Islam. Western democracy, however, is also seen as an enemy almost as evil as Christianity. By not electing Muslims, and by allowing their leaders to bomb ISIS targets, French civilians were responsible for the terror attacks, the video said.
"You voted for these leaders and this is the result. The result is that your leaders have declared a war they cannot handle," the narrator says.
"By Allah, they will not be able to protect you, either outside or inside your countries. By Allah, as long as there is bombardment, as long as you declare war, as long as you make war on the Muslims, we will not stop fighting you anywhere in the world. When you are on holiday or on a business trip, or when you are fast asleep inside your homes, expect a mujahid (mujahadeen) to come and kill you. By Allah, you will never be at peace ... . By Allah, this day we will make your blood [flow like] rivers. By Allah, we will fight you to the last. Between yourselves and us there is [only] the sword."
The video also includes a claim that the group will soon attack "Palestine" in the hopes of liberating it from its supposed occupation by Israel. The video was released by ISIS's Al-Hayat media arm.
On Dec. 26, ISIS's leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi issued a letter in which he claimed the Islamic State was creeping toward Israel and would soon liberate Palestine.
"We're getting closer to you day by day," Al-Baghdadi said. "Do not think we have forgotten about you."
The ISIS leader said God had caused all of the Jews of the world to gather in Israel and that war against them has "become easy."
"It is the obligation of every Muslim to carry out Jihad," he said. "Jews, you will not enjoy in Palestine. God has gathered you in Palestine so that the mujahadeen can reach you soon and you will hide by the rock and the tree. Palestine will be your graveyard."