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Iraq | |||
ISIL declares Islamic State, Baghdadi declared leader | |||
2014-06-30 | |||
The Al Qaeda breakaway group that has seized much of northern Syria and huge tracks of neighbouring Iraq formally declared the creation of an Islamic state on Sunday in the territory under its control. In a sign of the group’s confidence, it has now expanded its claim of leadership to encompass all the world’s Muslims.
Abu Mohammed Al Adnani said the group’s chief, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, is the new leader, or caliph, of the Islamic state. He called on those living in the areas under the organisation’s control to swear allegiance to Al Baghdadi and support him.
He said that with the creation of the caliphate, the group was changing its name to just the Islamic State, dropping the mention of Iraq and the Levant. It was unclear what immediate practical impact the declaration would have on the ground in Syria and Iraq, or among the wider global community.
“The Shura (council) of the Islamic State met and discussed this issue (of the caliphate)... The Islamic State decided to establish an Islamic caliphate and to designate a caliph for the state of the Muslims,” Adnani said. Isil has also sought to appeal to non-Arabs, publishing English-language magazines, after having already released videos in English, or with English subtitles. The group claims to have had fighters from the Britain, France, Germany and other European countries, as well as the United States, and from the Arab world and the Caucasus. | |||
Posted by:Steve White |
#2 and speaking of the soddies, some reports have ISIL (or ISIS or the Caliphate) declaring that the Kaaba stone creates idolatry and needs to be destroyed. This should get the dialogue off to a good start |
Posted by: lord garth 2014-06-30 18:22 |
#1 I'd think that the Soddies would have a problem with that. ISIL(S) moving to Mecca any time soon? |
Posted by: AlanC 2014-06-30 09:39 |