"Today we witness the end of the lie called western civilization and the rise of the Islamic giant. We will break your crosses and enslave your women. This is Allah’s promise to us."
Where did the many hundreds of thousands of jihadists go when they left Syria and Iraq?
ISIS has not been eliminated, the bulk of the jihadists simply left Syria and Iraq and went home.
So where is home?
In 2015 alone, at least 300,000 Islamists from more than 80 different countries joined the fight for a Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.(1)(2)
After 2015, recruitment continued to grow right up until 2018, when the Islamic armies fighting for the implementation of shariah and a caliphate in Syria and Iraq were finally pushed out. But the bulk of these fighters were not killed, they left. Most left through Turkey.(3)
These Muslim fighters from more than 80 different countries came primarily from the Middle East and Africa, but they also came from Europe, America, Canada and Australia.(1)(2) When they left Syria and Iraq, these Islamic fighters went back to their home countries--in the West.
So where is home?
In 2015 alone, at least 300,000 Islamists from more than 80 different countries joined the fight for a Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.(1)(2)
After 2015, recruitment continued to grow right up until 2018, when the Islamic armies fighting for the implementation of shariah and a caliphate in Syria and Iraq were finally pushed out. But the bulk of these fighters were not killed, they left. Most left through Turkey.(3)
These Muslim fighters from more than 80 different countries came primarily from the Middle East and Africa, but they also came from Europe, America, Canada and Australia.(1)(2) When they left Syria and Iraq, these Islamic fighters went back to their home countries--in the West.
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Photo: The cover of an issue of the Islamic State's magazine: A black flag on top of the obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in Rome.
The flag says: “There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." We think of this flag as the Islamic State's flag, or the ISIS flag, but the words on this flag are the declaration of faith used across Islam -- all Muslims around the world use these words daily. It is the Muslim declaration of faith and the statement of their supremacy over all non-Muslims. This flag and its words are not a symbol of extremism or radicalism. On the contrary, this flag represents the heart and core of Islam. The Saudi Arabian national flag also consists of these exact same words, with the addition of a sword--which demonstrates how Islam conquers--via violent takeover. |
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The Islamic State published two recruitment magazines, Dabiq (a city in Syria) and Rumiyah (Rome). Dabiq is no longer being published, they failed to take Syria. But Rumiyah (Rome) continues to be published.
Taking Rome, because of the city's widespread symbols of Christianity, is a primary goal of Islamists.
Dabiq issue #4 had stated:
"The Islamic State will remain until its banner flies over Rome." "We will not rest from our jihad until we are under the olive trees of Rome...[and] after we destroy the filthy house called the White House."
"You will pay the price as you walk on your streets, turning right and left, fearing the Muslims."
Taking Rome, because of the city's widespread symbols of Christianity, is a primary goal of Islamists.
Dabiq issue #4 had stated:
"The Islamic State will remain until its banner flies over Rome." "We will not rest from our jihad until we are under the olive trees of Rome...[and] after we destroy the filthy house called the White House."
"You will pay the price as you walk on your streets, turning right and left, fearing the Muslims."
An Islamic State spokesperson said: “We want Paris before Rome ... All Muslims, we are calling on you to mobilize for jihad. We incite you and call upon you to immigrate for jihad. (4)
From 2014-2017, the Islamic State had full control over the Turkish border with Syria and the people who were allowed to cross over into Turkey as "refugees" were Islamic State fighters.(3) Many thousands of these "refugees" have made their way to Western countries.
The Islamic State also heavily recruited in African countries. Many thousands of young, male jihadists left Africa as "migrants" and went to Europe to continue the jihad. Ships leave regularly from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Many hundreds of thousands of young Muslim males of fighting age are now in Europe. Europe will soon experience an organized jihad.
The Islamic State also heavily recruited in African countries. Many thousands of young, male jihadists left Africa as "migrants" and went to Europe to continue the jihad. Ships leave regularly from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Many hundreds of thousands of young Muslim males of fighting age are now in Europe. Europe will soon experience an organized jihad.
Issue #4 says that Muslims throughout the world are to attack Westerners.
"...It is very important that attacks take place in every country ... especially the US, UK, France, Australia and Germany. Every Muslim should get out of his house, find a crusader and kill him."
"Today we witness the end of the lie called western civilization and the rise of the Islamic giant."
"We will ... break your crosses and enslave your women. This is Allah’s promise to us. ... our children and grandchildren will reach it, and they will sell your sons as slaves at the slave market."
"O America, O allies of America, and O crusaders, know that the matter is more dangerous than you have imagined and greater than you have envisioned. Today we are in a new era, an era where the Islamic State, its soldiers, and its sons are leaders. They are a people who through the ages have not known defeat. Allah has declared it. And being killed is a victory. This is where the secret lies. You fight a people who can never be defeated."
"O Americans, and O Europeans. You will pay the price when your sons are sent to wage war against us, and they return to you as disabled amputees, or inside coffins, or mentally ill. You will pay the price as you are afraid of traveling to any land."
"We will strike you in your homeland."
"...It is very important that attacks take place in every country ... especially the US, UK, France, Australia and Germany. Every Muslim should get out of his house, find a crusader and kill him."
"Today we witness the end of the lie called western civilization and the rise of the Islamic giant."
"We will ... break your crosses and enslave your women. This is Allah’s promise to us. ... our children and grandchildren will reach it, and they will sell your sons as slaves at the slave market."
"O America, O allies of America, and O crusaders, know that the matter is more dangerous than you have imagined and greater than you have envisioned. Today we are in a new era, an era where the Islamic State, its soldiers, and its sons are leaders. They are a people who through the ages have not known defeat. Allah has declared it. And being killed is a victory. This is where the secret lies. You fight a people who can never be defeated."
"O Americans, and O Europeans. You will pay the price when your sons are sent to wage war against us, and they return to you as disabled amputees, or inside coffins, or mentally ill. You will pay the price as you are afraid of traveling to any land."
"We will strike you in your homeland."
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In this issue,
Immigration was described as a key element of jihad. “Jihad will be based upon hijrah (immigration) ... ta’ah (obedience), and i’dad (training), leading to ribat and qital (fighting)...” "Muslims are obligated by the tenets of their faith to immigrate...to help defend a new world ruled by sharia. |
"Whichever group can liberate al-Aqsa Mosque in Israel and raise the victorious banners of jihad atop al-Mukabber Mount in Jerusalem (the Temple Mount), that group...will claim control of the Global Jihad."
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Issues of Dabiq show young Muslims conducting executions and states that the need for future generations to join jihadi camps must be emphasized to all Muslims around the world.
The magazine describes Youth Camps (called Jihadi Juniors and Caliphate Cubs) and states that these camps include members as young as three years old and includes training for girls. The magazine states that by training children, Islam will have future generations armed and ready to continue the fight for world domination. The Islamic State says they send these jihadi children as "immigrants" to western countries. Immigration is emphasized as a recruitment message targeted at Muslims living in the West. Muslims living in the West are told that according to Islamic Doctrine, they are obligated to wage jihad against non-Muslims. Quran verses and Hadith are quoted in these magazines to prove jihad is a Muslim's duty |
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Issue #8: Shariah Alone will Rule Africa
All of North Africa is now Muslim majority. Additionally, Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda members have fully infiltrated the governments of North Africa. Since the 1980s, al-Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood have worked in coordination in attempts at creating Islamic States in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria--they are very close to reaching this goal. |
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Central Africa is rapidly becoming Muslim majority.
Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Boko Haram in Nigeria have both pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State. Boko Haram controls 6 times more territory than ISIS did. In January of 2015, more than 2000 Christians were killed in a 48-hr period.
And the massacres continue to this day.
Quran verses and sections of Hadith are used to back the claims that the Islamic State is fulfilling what the Quran demands that Muslims must do -- jihad to enforce Islam on the world.
An article in issue #8 justifies the destruction of ancient treasures of cultures by quoting segments from the Quran and Hadith. The article includes photos proudly displaying the Islamic State destroying ancient artifacts. The primary argument for this destruction is that this is the exact behavior of Muhammad.
The Islamic State condemns any nation that has "national pride" regarding their heritage. Only Islamic culture should exist.
“The soldiers of the Caliphate, with sledgehammers in hand, revived the tradition of Muhammad when they destroyed the legacy of a nation.”
Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Boko Haram in Nigeria have both pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State. Boko Haram controls 6 times more territory than ISIS did. In January of 2015, more than 2000 Christians were killed in a 48-hr period.
And the massacres continue to this day.
Quran verses and sections of Hadith are used to back the claims that the Islamic State is fulfilling what the Quran demands that Muslims must do -- jihad to enforce Islam on the world.
An article in issue #8 justifies the destruction of ancient treasures of cultures by quoting segments from the Quran and Hadith. The article includes photos proudly displaying the Islamic State destroying ancient artifacts. The primary argument for this destruction is that this is the exact behavior of Muhammad.
The Islamic State condemns any nation that has "national pride" regarding their heritage. Only Islamic culture should exist.
“The soldiers of the Caliphate, with sledgehammers in hand, revived the tradition of Muhammad when they destroyed the legacy of a nation.”
Want to support Cheri's work? Purchase Cheri's book, An American Woman Living in Egypt: Life during an Islamic takeover. Available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Read the INTRODUCTION to Cheri's book
Read the Jacket Back
Read the INTRODUCTION to Cheri's book
Read the Jacket Back
References
(1) Soufan Group research study: http://soufangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/TSG_ForeignFightersUpdate_FINAL.pdf
(2) State Department stats, as well as from Russia, that ISIS alone has at least 30,000 fighters in Syria: https://www.rt.com/usa/345269-40000-foreign-terrorists-syria/
(3) http://www.cheriberens.net/the-majority-of-syrian-refugees-are-not-syrian.html
(4) https://unitedwithisrael.org/isis-wants-to-blow-up-white-house-big-ben-and-eiffel-tower/
ee also: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3325952/The-White-House-turn-black-fire-Allah-willing-ISIS-warns-fresh-attacks-Washington-video-threaten-America-days.html
Notes
The top foreign nationalities who went to Syria to fight for Islam are: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Western Europe, Former Soviet Union (Chechnya, Ukraine, Azerbaijan), Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Southeast Asia.
The numbers of foreign fighters who left to fight for Islam in 2015 may be as high as 360,000. This is because:
1. Many governments do not release estimates or travel documentation of the number of their citizens who have gone to Syria or Iraq.
2. For some countries, the number may reflect all those who have gone, while others subtract those who have died or returned; for example, those who left from Europe, as many as 30% returned, and those numbers are omitted.
3. Some countries do not include women and children.
4. In all cases it is likely that more have gone than the relevant government is prepared to admit.
5. Stats from the Soufan Group, data from 2014 and 2015, did not include the number of fighters that went to Syria from 2011-2013; hence, the number of 30,000 is extremely lower than actuality of fighters in Syria and Iraq in totality.
6. Countries like Chechnya do not give the numbers of children who are in the training camps, including the Caliphate Cubs, in which Chechnyans enter their children as young as three years old.
7. Many Islamist fighters cross into Syria unnoticed or illegally from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and are not counted.
8. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any other country in the world; a population of approximately 202.9 million Muslims. The Indonesian government did not give stats for these reports. But there have been several instances that allude to the fact that Indonesians support the idea of terrorism as a means to spread Islam and Islamic Law.
Indonesia has experienced many episodes of Islamic terrorism and jihadist movements since declaring independence in 1945. After proclaiming an “Islamic State” in 1949, the organization Darul Islam denounced the Indonesian state as apostate and staged a series of armed rebellions in the 1950s and 1960s before moving underground.
Daryl Islam then split into numerous groups, including Laskar Jihad, which led a campaign against Christians throughout Indonesia. Another offshoot group, Jemaah Islamiyah, conducted the 2002 Bali bombings. Indonesian jihadists have also gone to Afghanistan as mujahideen.
With a population of 202,900,000 Muslims, a certain percentage of those would most certainly support ISIS and go to Syria, especially considered the Islamic State's slick recruitment Internet magazine and social media propaganda sites which are very appealing to young Muslims -- even in America.
* Much of the information about Indonesia came from: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/isis-indonesia-foreign-fighters/422403/
(1) Soufan Group research study: http://soufangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/TSG_ForeignFightersUpdate_FINAL.pdf
(2) State Department stats, as well as from Russia, that ISIS alone has at least 30,000 fighters in Syria: https://www.rt.com/usa/345269-40000-foreign-terrorists-syria/
(3) http://www.cheriberens.net/the-majority-of-syrian-refugees-are-not-syrian.html
(4) https://unitedwithisrael.org/isis-wants-to-blow-up-white-house-big-ben-and-eiffel-tower/
ee also: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3325952/The-White-House-turn-black-fire-Allah-willing-ISIS-warns-fresh-attacks-Washington-video-threaten-America-days.html
Notes
The top foreign nationalities who went to Syria to fight for Islam are: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Western Europe, Former Soviet Union (Chechnya, Ukraine, Azerbaijan), Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Southeast Asia.
The numbers of foreign fighters who left to fight for Islam in 2015 may be as high as 360,000. This is because:
1. Many governments do not release estimates or travel documentation of the number of their citizens who have gone to Syria or Iraq.
2. For some countries, the number may reflect all those who have gone, while others subtract those who have died or returned; for example, those who left from Europe, as many as 30% returned, and those numbers are omitted.
3. Some countries do not include women and children.
4. In all cases it is likely that more have gone than the relevant government is prepared to admit.
5. Stats from the Soufan Group, data from 2014 and 2015, did not include the number of fighters that went to Syria from 2011-2013; hence, the number of 30,000 is extremely lower than actuality of fighters in Syria and Iraq in totality.
6. Countries like Chechnya do not give the numbers of children who are in the training camps, including the Caliphate Cubs, in which Chechnyans enter their children as young as three years old.
7. Many Islamist fighters cross into Syria unnoticed or illegally from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and are not counted.
8. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any other country in the world; a population of approximately 202.9 million Muslims. The Indonesian government did not give stats for these reports. But there have been several instances that allude to the fact that Indonesians support the idea of terrorism as a means to spread Islam and Islamic Law.
Indonesia has experienced many episodes of Islamic terrorism and jihadist movements since declaring independence in 1945. After proclaiming an “Islamic State” in 1949, the organization Darul Islam denounced the Indonesian state as apostate and staged a series of armed rebellions in the 1950s and 1960s before moving underground.
Daryl Islam then split into numerous groups, including Laskar Jihad, which led a campaign against Christians throughout Indonesia. Another offshoot group, Jemaah Islamiyah, conducted the 2002 Bali bombings. Indonesian jihadists have also gone to Afghanistan as mujahideen.
With a population of 202,900,000 Muslims, a certain percentage of those would most certainly support ISIS and go to Syria, especially considered the Islamic State's slick recruitment Internet magazine and social media propaganda sites which are very appealing to young Muslims -- even in America.
* Much of the information about Indonesia came from: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/isis-indonesia-foreign-fighters/422403/