This crowd-funded independent journalist examines a document used to recruit Muslims into ISIS especially in Britain and finds links to MI5, the British counterpart to the FBI. Ahmed adds more evidence to support the growing widespread suspicions and evidence of involvement by foreign intelligence services in addition to Saudi funding in the creation of ISIS and its ongoing operations (see this, this, this, this, and this). How else can one account for the sudden rise of this militarily well-equipped terrorist organization that uses internet software in a very sophisticated fashion?
The document appears to be appealing to the millions of poverty-stricken Muslims throughout Europe.
...what is...revealing...is the entire focus of the document. There are no substantive theological references or justifications, no references to Islamic canonical texts. The document is not attempting to convince those who already reject ISIS’ twisted theology — but is aimed at those who, sympathetic to its professed goals, sceptical of Western reporting on ISIS, sceptical of Western foreign policies generally, might be nudged into believing that ISIS represents not a totalitarian fascist abomination, but an authentic utopian experiment.
The entire pitch is about the promise of a better life in this world, appealing not to spiritual sentiments or religious convictions, or even to a hunger for glory or meaning through martyrdom — but simply to material wants and needs. This reveals that the target audience is very specific: if you are already verging toward ISIS sympathy, are hungry, poor, and lack opportunities, here’s the utopia you always wanted — “no glass ceilings here” ....