20 Jun 2014

‘British jihadis’ call for UK Muslims to join Isis in Iraq

Islamic extremists release a recruitment video which features British fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham calling for UK Muslims to join the “ranks of the mujaheddin” in Iraq.

The video, released by the Al-Hayat Media Centre – an organisation that has been producing slick recruitment videos for Isis – features at least three fighters who it is claimed are British and on their way to fight jihad in Iraq.

Are you willing to sacrifice the fat job you’ve got, the big car you’ve got, the family you’ve got? Abu Bara al-Hindi, “mujahid”

Imploring people to come and join the fight, the Britons say that the feelings of “honour” and “happiness” are unparalleled, and that people who fight jihad will be rewarded by Allah.

Channel 4 News has not yet been able to independently verify if the men are who it is claimed they are, and if they are fighting in Syria or Iraq.

Read more: the slick social media campaign Isis is using for global recruitment

One fighter, identified as Abu Bara al-Hindi from Britain (pictured, below), asks: “Are you willing to sacrifice the fat job you’ve got, the big car you’ve got, the family you’ve got? Are you willing to sacrifice all that for the sake of Allah?”

Abu Bara al-Hindi

He says people who do will be rewarded “700 times more”. He adds that he knows what it feels like for western Muslims, and that the “cure for depression is jihad”.

“Look around you while you sit in comfort and ask if this is the way you want to die… with the dust of the kuffars still in your lungs,” says Abu Dujana al-Hindi, also said to be from the UK (pictured, below).

Abu Dujana al-Hindi

Recent weeks have seen an escalation of a sophisticated social media campaign by Isis to bolster its ranks and increase support around the world.

Videos released earlier this week by Isis also included foreign fighters appealing to their fellow countrymen for support.

The men in the video claim to have been fighting in Syria.

Abu Muthanna al Yemeni

“We understand no borders,” says Abu Muthanna al Yemeni (pictured above), also said to be friom the UK. “We have fought in battles in al-Sham and we will go to Iraq in a few days and fight.”

In the video it is claimed that Isis also has fighters from Bangladesh, Cambodia and Australia – and two people who are said to be Australian also talk in the video.

Previous estimates have suggested that Isis, which is though to number up to 20,000 fighters, is roughly half comprised of foreign fighters.

Isis made lightening advances through the north of the country – but are now coming up against the Iraqi government force which has massed to the north of Baghdad.

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