A pro-Islamic State PR outlet is rallying ISIS supporters to not be discouraged by battlefield setbacks and set their sights on Saudi Arabia in a new motivational video released with English subtitles.
The Al-Battar Media Foundation, an unofficial media wing of ISIS, released “O Soldiers of the Islamic State,” beginning with a photo of Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, the ISIS No. 2 who the terror group said Aug. 30 was killed in an airstrike.
The former Syria commander and spokesman has graced lots of ISIS PR since then.
“O soldiers of the Islamic State: It is not hidden from you that crusading America and its allies, with every kafir [disbelieving] nation behind it, and the apostates of your own people in front of it, have gathered and mobilized against you, threatening you,” the video says. “Every day they claim that the end of the State is near and that this campaign will undoubtedly be the crusher. They threaten you and try to scare you.”
The video shows a clip of President Obama — official White House video with the Al-Battar logo imposed over the WH.gov logo — and footage of Defense Secretary Ashton Carter meeting with allies.
“If you are believers in Allah and are working for him, nothing will frighten you, no matter what it is, other than Allah. Everything other than Allah is beneath you. Everything other than Allah is a fading force, weak and frail.”
Al-Battar stressed that “from the moment we announced the establishment of the Islamic State, the apostates, the crusaders, and the atheists, hoped that they would destroy it in a few days.”
“But they waged war after war, followed by campaign after campaign, each attack met by a counterattack. So they became weary and failed, Allah disgracing them each time. So their threats are not new and their disgrace is not far. And furthermore, situations change every day, and war goes on. And whoever thinks we fight to protect some land or authority or that victory is measured thereby, then he has strayed far from the truth,” the video continued.
“We fight in obedience to Allah and to become closer to him. And victory is that we live in the might of our religion or die upon it. It is the same whether Allah blesses us with consolidation or we move into the bare open desert, displaced and pursued. It is the same whether one of us is carried off to prison as a captive or spends the night with his family, safe and sound.”
Their insistence that the Islamic State doesn’t depend on the land comes as the coalition plans an assault to retake ISIS’ Iraq “capital” of Mosul.
“It is the same whether we are unharmed and take ghanimah [war booty] or we are wounded or killed as victory — according to us — is to live as mujahidin… to establish the religion. If this exists, then we are already, and under all circumstances, victorious. This is the reality, by Allah, and not mere slogans,” the video states.
At this point in the video, ISIS members are shown stoning individuals, cutting off hands as Sharia punishment and throwing a man off a tall building.
They also talk about purging unorthodox members.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an Al-Battar Media video for ISIS. (Screenshot)
“Those who were truthful soldiers and leaders of the State wrote this with their blood. Whoever thinks otherwise, even if he is in our ranks, is not one of us. He will inevitably be cast out or leave, even after some time,” the video vows.
“So o soldiers of the Islamic State, examine and tend to your intentions. Mend your thoughts and be happy with the news that you are supported by Allah, for verily we are upon clear guidance and we were not deceived.”
Showing pictures of Saudi leaders, the video vows “they will be the first to be defeated.” After that, they said, comes Rome and Persia.
They called upon ISIS fighters to have “determination” — “if you are resolute, you will win; if you flinch, you will fail and lose.”
“Ahead of you are battles that the insolvent or cowardly will not be able to handle, and there are goods that have no source but combat and war. You are its people, by Allah’s permission.”
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