During Ramadan in August, the Islamic State of Iraq and Ash Sham interviewed people in Aleppo amid a series of holiday-themed events, including “tent preaching”, games for adults and children, and Quran recital competitions. The attempt to win over local hearts and minds succeeded, at least to some degree, judging from the responses to the questions posed by ISIS members after the fun and games.
(NB” The video was translated into Russian, and we translated the Russian version into English.)
Caption: The attitude of the Syrian people toward Holy Jihad
Interviewer:
So what can you tell us?
Syrian 1:
Thank Allah, the mass media always scare people about you, but that’s not right, you are very kind and soft-hearted. For example, today during the festivities, everyone kissed you, kids and old folk alike.
May Allah help you, guide you and strengthen you be victorious over that tyrant (taghut).
We’ve suffered that more than 50 years! I swear to Allah, what we’ve gone through… over there used to be a bakery, and there was a line of 50 people. You believe me? I beg Allah’s forgiveness and I swear before Him, he is Holy and great, but you couldn’t
even ask the guy standing in line next to you how things were with him!
Want to ask me why? Because there were mukhabarat (pro-Assad security agents) everywhere! You get me? OK… May Allah bless you and multiply kindnesses.I swear to God you are the best people and you proved that.
….
Syrian 2:
May God bless the Mujahideen who came to us from faraway lands, it doesn’t matter which lands, from Islamic countries, whether that’s Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, we are all brothers before Allah! We all love each other. We are one and we will erase these borders with the will of Allah. And our path will be Allah’s book and the Sunnah of his Prophet!
Allah’s book and the Sunnah of his Prophet! Peace be upon him.
Interviewer:
Many mass media outlets criticize the Islamic State, and say that it hasn’t gotten much support from the people. Is that true?
Syrian 2:
My brother, all the Western countries and many Arab countries are opposed to religion! They don’t want religion. I mean, as you say, ” “Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, ever bound to depart.” (Quran 17 81).
Allah’s truth is with us! My beloved sheikh, excuse me, I don’t know how to give an interview! But the truth is with you, and therefore they [the enemy] can’t do anything…
In America or France or wherever, they’re the real terrorists! We’re not terrorists! When there’s an Islamic State, then everyone will get his right, there won’t be any inequalities toward the poor, the oppressors will be beheaded in front of everyone. We are all one!
We are all brothers! Why should we fear the Islamic State?! To the contrary, we love the Islamic State, and may Allah unify the Ummah!
—
Interviewer:
Brother Abu Umar, various media are telling us that the Mujahideen are killing Muslims and are terrorizing people in this town. Is this true?
Syrian 3 (Abu Umar):
No, the truth is that they (the Mujahideen) haven’t cracked down on anyone, not in words or deeds or in any other way. On the contrary, they’ve always acted very nice with people. Not a single person has been oppressed by them here. The opposite, there’s been provocations by the media toward the simple people who don’t know the real position, in order to create enmity between the Islamists and the people. It’s been done so that if there’s any bloodshed, they can place the blame on the Islamic State.
—
Interviewer:
What do you think about the guys from the Islamic State?
Syrian 4:
I swear to God, may the Almighty bless them! They left their homeland, their families, their kids, and came to help us, to support the words “la illah ila allah”. The guys who came to us, we can’t tell you in words, they are in our hearts! Just like we are in their hearts, they are in our hearts too. And by the will of Allah, one by one we will get rid of every tyrant and infidel from this land.
—
Syrian 5:
Your brother Abu Rabakh al-Hussein at your service!
Interviewer:
What do you think about the measures taken by the Mujahideen today?
Syrian 5 (Abu Rabakh):
May Allah preserve them and increase their numbers, and bless them and the entire Syrian nation!
Interviewer:
Do you have any message for those guys who left Syria? Especially the youth?
Syrian 5:
This is Allah’s promise to the residents of Sham. Come back, and stand in the ranks of the Islamic State, so that the Islamic flag will fly over the whole land, by Allah’s will!
Interviewer:
OK, what advice do you have for fighters?
Syrian 5:
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (Quran 3 103). Solidarity will only be under an Imam and in a single Muslim Jamaat. And the flag is already being raised for Muslims in the Islamic State, so hurry to them, unite for victory, and ease the work of our brothers so that they can defend us.
