Islamic State militants fighting in Syria and Iraq have released an audio message they claim is of terror leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi urging supporters to unleash a 'volcano of jihad' on the West.
Lacing
his speech with religious phrases, the voice believed to belong to
Baghdadi describes jihad as 'the peak of Islam' and said those who do
not fight non-believers will suffer 'painful torment.'
The
release - which has not been independently verified - comes just days
after Iraqi officials claimed the ISIS chief had at least been injured
and may very well be dead after an American airstrike destroyed a convoy
of up to 10 vehicles that was travelling through the country.
The
bombing killed Baghdadi's right hand man Auf Abdulrahman Elefery, who
is commonly known by his nom de guerre Abu Suja, but there have been
conflicting reports about the terror leader himself - with U.S.
officials admitting that even they were stumped as to his fate.
Terror: Lacing his speech with
religious phrases, the voice believed to belong to ISIS leader Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi describes jihad as 'the peak of Islam' and says those who do
not fight will suffer 'painful torment'
In
the chilling audio clip, the voice believed to belong to Baghdadi says
that a U.S.-led military campaign intended to destroy his terror group
was failing.
'We
see America and it's allies stumbling between fear, weakness, inability
and failure. America, Europe, Australia, Canada, their apostate tails
and slaves from among the rulers of the Muslim lands were terrified of
the Islamic State,' he said.
'They
fear for their security. They fear the revolt of the Muslim peoples.
They fear their defeat. They fear the return of the caliphate and the
return of Muslims to pioneering and leadership,' he added.
Making
specific reference to Arab partners in the US-led coalition of nations
carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State, the voices goes on:
'America did not dare start a campaign until after amassing support from
their slaves and dogs from among the rulers of Islamic lands.'
He
goes on to praise Islamic extremists in the Middle East and North
Africa, describing them as the 'fuel' of jihad but demanding they do not
allow Westerners and moderate Muslims 'security and happiness for as
long as you have a blinking eye and a pulsing vein.'
Militant:
Before the audio release, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (shown before his rise to
power) was thought to have been injured or possibly even killed during
an American air raid last week
The
statement was posted online six days after Iraqi officials claimed that
Baghdadi had been wounded in an airstrike. It is not clear whether the
recording was made before or after the incident.
In the recording, Baghdadi vowed to fight the 'crusader campaign' to the bitter end.
'God
has ordered us to fight,' he said. 'For that reason the soldiers of the
Islamic State are fighting... they will never leave fighting, even if
only one soldier remains. They will never leave fighting, because they
reject humiliation.'
The
recording, released on social media networks, appeared authentic, and
the voice appeared to match that in previous recordings released by the
group.
The
self-styled caliph called on Muslims to wage holy war everywhere, and
to attack and kill 'apostates' in Saudi Arabia and Yemen specifically.
An
earlier audio recording from al-Baghdadi is believed to have inspired
militants in Algeria to kill and behead a French national.
Attacks:
The audio release - which has not been independently verified - comes
just days after Iraqi officials claimed the ISIS chief had at least been
injured and may very well be dead after an American airstrike destroyed
a convoy of up to 10 vehicles that was travelling in Al Qaim along the
Syria-Iraq border
One
interesting aspect of recording is that the man believed to be Baghdadi
urges militants to focus on defeating their enemies at a local level
before battling 'Crusader' forces from the West.
That
comment is a clear indication that Baghdadi's immediate priority is to
expand the area under the control of his so-called caliphate, rather
than simply encouraging Al Qaeda-style terror attacks.
The
speech was not dated but carried a reference to a November 7 U.S.
announcement that President Barack Obama had approved sending up to
1,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq.
'O
sons of al-Haramayn [Saudi Arabia]...the serpent's head and the
stronghold of the disease are there...draw your swords and divorce life,
because there should be no security for the Saloul,' he Baghdadi said,
using a derogatory term to refer to the leadership of Saudi Arabia.
Islamic State has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq, declaring a caliphate over territory it controls in June.
Baghdadi
said he had accepted oaths of allegiance from supporters in Libya,
Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Algeria, adding: 'Oh soldiers of the
Islamic State...erupt volcanoes of jihad everywhere. Light the earth
with fire against all dictators.'
Global threat: ISIS has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq declaring a caliphate over territory it controls in June
Air
strikes: The reports say that U.S. warplanes dropped bombs on the town
of al-Qaim in Iraq. Pictured is an earlier strike against ISIS in
Kobani, on the Turkey-Syria border
Following
last week's claims Baghdadi had been killed, ISIS members took to
social media to argue that the terror leader had not been traveling in
the same convoy that killed Abu Suja.
Other
sources stated that senior militants and their tribal allies had
informed them that Baghdadi had been either seriously injured or killed
in the American airstrike.
An
Iraqi security official, Hisham al-Hashimi claimed that Abu Suja was
'Baghdadi's very close companion' and was killed in the attack which
destroyed up to 10 vehicles.
'He
and Baghdadi were rarely separate. It's for this reason that it could
be possible that Baghdadi was with him at the time of the attack,' he
said.
Hashimi revealed that Elefery's death was confirmed to him by relatives.
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