The horrifying video of the mass murder of Syrian soldiers and an American aid worker is very different from other Islamic State propaganda films.Posted Sunday morning, it shows how the jihadists are seeking to heighten the disgust they provoke.
Security
and military analysts believe this new tactic is a plot to lure Western
and other forces into a full-scale ground offensive IS leaders think
they can win.
Unmasked: The 16 followers of Jihadi
John prepare to behead the Syrian soldiers they have held hostage.
Nasser Muthana from Cardiff is to the right of John, who is dressed in
black with a balaclava
The analysts reckon IS is already reeling from air attacks that have stopped it taking the key Syrian border town of Kobane.
The
murder of US aid worker Peter Kassig is not shown in the latest film –
thought to feature UK medical student Nasser Muthana – and he does not
deliver a final message as other hostages have.
There is also no announcement of the name of the next victim.
And
for the first time the Islamic militants give away their location –
showing what is believed to be Dabiq, a town in northern Syria – in the
video’s background.
PROPAGANDA MASQUERADING AS A HISTORY LESSON
Lasting
15 minutes and 53 seconds, the video – titled ‘Although the
disbelievers dislike it’ – starts with a documentary-style history of
Islamic State since the invasion of Iraq by western allies in 2003.
It is
in a different style from the rest of the footage, with more
sophisticated graphics, and a treatment often used for major ‘state of
the nation’ productions.
There
are scenes of bombings, summary executions and graphic video footage of
dead civilians lying in the streets. It also shows what appears to be a
dead child lying on a bed covered in blood.
Some
of the footage of the bombings has not been seen before, though other
scenes showing the summary killings of suspected Iraqi soldiers has. It
is designed to incite supporters and operatives back in the UK by
justifying their actions and setting the stage for the next clip.
Still covered up: Jihadi John has so far shown the world only his eyes
THE RETURN OF JIHADI JOHN WITH 16 FOLLOWERS
Filmed
in the desert, the self-declared murderer, known as Jihadi John, is
seen leading a line of Syrian troops to their deaths.
A
few paces behind him – and in the middle of a 16-strong line of
Islamist jihadists said to be from over six countries – is the man
believed to be Muthana, a 20-year-old from Cardiff.
Like the other jihadists he is unmasked. John however keeps to his habit of showing only his eyes.
Muthana
clutches the scruff of the neck of a Syrian soldier, whose hands are
bound with plastic ties. But while the other militants have
expressionless faces – this young bearded man looks menacingly into the
distance. Taking the lead from John and those in the line before him, he
brandishes a military knife taken from a box of weapons.
The
chilling sound of a blade being drawn can be heard above the sound of
Islamic music in the background. The prisoners are not wearing
Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuits, as in previous videos, but are
dressed in black trousers and shirts.
John, who has leather shoulder holsters for hand guns and a balaclava-style mask, takes centre stage.
His
appearance would seem to confirm his seniority and status as ‘chief
executioner’ of Islamic State. The man thought to be Muthana stands to
his right. John delivers his message to America and Britain before an
eerie silence during which the camera zooms in on the faces of the
killers, who remain impassive throughout.
The
scene then focuses on John – who begins to cut his prisoner’s neck –
quelling suspicion that he himself did not actually perform the previous
beheadings.
Unlike
the apparent murders of Western hostages, in which the camera cuts away
at the moment their throats are cut, the killings of the soldiers are
shown in full.
The
camera zooms in on Jihadi John and his victim who, in his final
agonising moments, closes his eyes. John then looks threateningly into
the camera while still holding the knife. The next clip shows a knife
slicing into the necks of Syrian soldiers followed by a stream of blood
that turns the sand red.
The image after that shows the soldiers’ heads on top of their bent-over bodies.
The mass beheading is a new departure because previous mass executions have been undertaken using guns.
The
fact that John’s accomplices revealed their identities suggests they
have no intention of returning to their home countries. A caption refers
to them as ‘hungry lions whose drink is blood and play is carnage’.
SITE OF FINAL BATTLE WITH ‘CRUSADERS’
As
with the other clips, it is not clear when the final scene was actually
filmed – though it is claimed to have been shot in Dabiq in northern
Syria.
John’s
face is in shadow and it is hard to make out – but his mannerisms seem
to be the same as in other videos. He talks with his now-familiar London
accent.
An
image is shown of a man’s head lying on the ground next to a man
wearing desert boots – before the camera jumps to Jihadi John.
Mr Kassig's beheading is not shown nor does he give a statement supporting IS propaganda in the video
While his death has not been verified, John says: ‘This is Peter Edward Kassig, a US citizen of your country.
‘Peter,
who fought against the Muslims in Iraq while serving as a soldier under
the American army, doesn’t have much to say. His previous cellmates
have already spoken on his behalf.’
Mr
Kassig’s beheading is not shown – nor does he give a statement spurting
IS propaganda. He may have refused to do so – or it may mark a change
in tactics by the militants.
A dateline on the video says it was shot in Dabiq, near Aleppo, a place cherished by Islamic State militants.
According
to one reading of Islamic tradition, there will be a final battle there
between good and evil – in this case Muslim and Christian armies.
The ‘Western Crusaders’ will eventually be destroyed, according to the reading.
Analysts
said the change of location may also suggest that John and the hostages
were being moved more frequently than normal to avoid coalition air
strikes and to thwart rescue attempts.
WHAT ABOUT THE BRITON JOHN CANTLIE?
Unlike previous Islamic State beheading videos of Western hostages, there was no reference to further deaths.
In
the earlier films John had warned of the next hostage to die, showing a
clip of them on their knees and wearing an orange jumpsuit.
John Cantlie, the British journalist,
is currently being held by Islamic State jihadists and has featured in
several propaganda videos for the terror group
He
has used the prospect of another Western death as a warning to the US
and Britain against using military force in Iraq and Syria.
John
Cantlie, the British journalist currently being held by the Islamic
State, has featured in several propaganda videos but is yet to be named
by his captors as the next to be killed.
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