“To underpin the dimensions of the phenomenon, the intelligence expert explains that ‘the number of direct foreign fighters in Syria is unprecedented’ and ‘exceeds’ that of those who have gone to ‘Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia or other areas in the last 20 years.'” And “foreign fighters prefer to enlist among the militias of the Islamic State, seen today as more attractive than other extremist and terrorist movements.” This is because of the lure of the concept of the caliphate as transcending all other earthly allegiances. But Western analysts wave that away with the claim that the Islamic State has nothing to do with Islam. Meanwhile, Muslims from all over the world keep streaming into Syria to join up with this entity that has nothing to do with Islam.
“Syria, more than 20 thousand foreign fighters have joined the jihad,” Asia News, February 11, 2015 (thanks to C. Cantoni):
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) – In the last period the number of foreign militants arriving in Syria via Turkey to join the jihad has increased at an “unprecedented” rate. Worldwide more than 20 thousand people have joined the ranks of the Islamic State or other extremist groups. According to US intelligence the volunteers of the holy war come from more than 90 nations and, of these, at least 3,400 from Western states (150 Americans).
The report released by the National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC), headquartered in Virginia, states that foreign fighters prefer to enlist among the militias of the Islamic State, seen today as more attractive than other extremist and terrorist movements. Experts have updated the estimates published in January, according to which about 19 thousand jihadists arrived in Syria. There is no reliable data, but according to NCTC director Nicholas Rasmussen, the ” the trend lines are clear and concerning”.To underpin the dimensions of the phenomenon, the intelligence expert explains that “the number of direct foreign fighters in Syria is unprecedented” and “exceeds” that of those who have gone to “Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia or other areas in the last 20 years”. The type of foreign jihadist going to the Middle East, “do not fit into any stereotype” and come from a range of backgrounds.
For some time Western governments have been warning about the growing number of citizens who leave for Syria and Iraq, to fight in the ranks of the Islamist groups. A phenomenon that has grown even more in the aftermath of the attacks in Paris, which caused 17 deaths and panic in the heart of Europe.
According to the NCTC Director Islamic State militias attract such a large number of fighters thanks to the optimal use of propaganda on the internet and social media; videos and films, made in different languages and well produced, seem to appeal to thrill seeking young Westerners. Besides images of beheadings and violence, the group has figured out how to reach and indoctrinate thousands of boys and girls; they oppose a “bucolic” and fascinating image of life in the territories occupied by the “Caliphate” to a “alienated” and hopeless life. “Al Qaeda and its various branches in the Middle East and Africa – said Nicholas Rasmussen – have never displayed such an acumen with propaganda”.
Falsafa says
20 thousand Muslims from a global Muslim population of 1.57 billion…yes an absolutely ‘terrifying’ statistic…Robert Spencer is ‘right on the ball’ again with this one.
Don McKellar says
When does your plane leave, Falsafa? Or are you going to remain an armchair jihadi all your life?
20,000 here, 20,000 there… joining how many million people in the Islamic State’s territory? What are you waiting for? Coward.
Don McKellar says
By the way, I get a big laugh every time I see another retarded moslem like you trying to intimidate or make more imposing the number of moslems in the world. Just two years ago it was a billion, then it was 1.3 billion early last year, then it’s been 1.4 billion for a few months, then I see your quote of 1.57 billion — HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, man, when is the 2 billion claim going to start? It’s just like a McDonald’s sign!
Mike Reed says
Fuck u and Amerikkka red neck DEATH TO U ALL
Falsafa says
D. McKellar – speaking like a true redneck bigot, full of hate, ignorance and insults…true to form wouldn’t you say?
Beagle says
RS never claimed the number was “terrifying”. It is notable that one jihadi group, out of hundreds, is recruiting foreign fighters so well.
You should try reading before knee-jerk reacting.
Hopefully IS will recruit more and station them near heavy weapons.
Matthieu Baudin says
Justin, tell us more about the ‘good old days’ in the Middle East and then explain to us why these populations must necessarily live under dictatorships.
Beagle says
And of course by “America” you mean the Obama Administration. Most Americans could not find Syria on a map with an Israel, Iraq, and Turkey head start.
And no, the Middle East was not a nice place wrecked by the US. “Al-Anfal Campaign Iraq” – Google it. That is one example. I have dozens more if you’d like.
MKG says
Hi Justin, what I like most about your comments is your fire. I don’t always agree with you, but it takes fire to oppose these extremists. The only way to stop a force is with an equal or stronger opposing force. This is the natural law. Moderation in the face of momentum doesn’t stop anything. However, moderation has the patience to survive in the face of a force that may burn itself out. But, that is not what we are dealing with here. Is it?
If my intuition serves me right you are a Serbian. Possibly Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox Christian. Please forgive my ignorance for not knowing the difference. You are upset about the UN interference with the Balkan conflict of the mid 90’s. I get that. I really do. You are also upset about the support given to islamic extremists. I get that too. When it comes to dictators, they are necessary for getting a country in chaos under control, but then, they have to step down so a country can grow and develop.
Please understand America is at a strange state of evolution. We are a country made up of many cultures, and where that is good to the point of informational resources, our own cultural identity is being eroded. That really bothers us. Currently we have two powerful political parties tearing the fabric of our society into pieces. It is like we have two separate governments. Each with control of various agencies that effect all of us. The very idea of what it means to be an american is under attack.
Meanwhile, the world is slipping into chaos and America is trying to decide the difference between friend and foe while at the same time uphold American values, which has different meaning depending on who you talk to. That is most evident in the recent visit from Netanyahu.
Justin, there are many Americans, both Christian and non-Christian, just as disgusted as you are, and for the same reasons. It breaks our hearts to see what is happening to those ancient Christian cultures and people in general. I see those Christians fighting in support of Assad and fighting for their very existence. They are fighting hard, and they are fighting well. They have my admiration. We want to do something to help them, but there is a lack in leadership from both the Pope and our government.
You are angry, I get that. It is better if you get angry with us, not at us.
Demsci says
Justin, I see what you mean, and yes, it may well be that harsh dictatorship is better than anarchy with rampant extremists who indeed kill and suppress vulnerable minorities.
You criticize the American GOVERNMENT, or maybe Elite. But dare I ask if you have double standards, in that you ONLY criticize THAT government? Lot’s of people have double standards on that Issue, in that they single out the American, or Western governments for criticism, whereas they remain silent about all the other misbehaving governments and elites, now and in history.
Your criticism in itself sounds quite reasonable.
But that is until people start to compare governments and their actions or lack of actions! And people realise that so many governments, of course including those of the removed tyrants, were making exactly the same bad choices, or much worse choices.
But still, the AMERICAN governments gets singled out for criticism, and on a scale much bigger than criticism on all those other misbehaving governments. That is using double standards, Justin! And why??? You see, I can passionate too, in defending America!
Look, if you are going to criticize the American government, be more fair. Say; The human nature shows through immoral heartless, greedy selfish behavior of human governments IN GENERAL, and American government is only ONE example.
You see, if you single out one government for criticism, you then implicitly either say that the other governments are (more) innocent or that other governments are indeed doing the same bad things, or worse
BUT that the other governments are more like children, or crazies, or even animals compared to the Americans. Now you would be crazy yourself to criticize children, crazies or animals because they are not responsible for their actions and incapable of change. So is THAT why you don’t do it?
I challenge you to prove that the other governments are innocent, and I don;t think you can.
And I conclude that subconsciously you think that the other governments are incapable of change like children, crazies, animals., but that you think Americans ARE capable of change, and that therefore you single them out for your biting criticism.
Demsci says
“//destroying secularist dictators and replacing them with barbaric islamic jihadists everywhere. Which other country is doing that?”//
thanks for responding. I do not so much disagree with that, Justin. OK, what you mentioned, that made the situation WORSE.
But …. literally many countries in past and present indeed did “THAT’. not literally, but many, many governments in 5000 years of history did so much just that looked like that, I mean murdering, not caring for minorities, or poor people.
In the cases you refer to, I INSIST that you ALSO hold responsible those VERY dictators, that were toppled. Were they not responsible for challenging unnecessarily the USA, the strongest power on earth?! Think of a person pulling the tail of a tiger. Why then do you blame (only) the tiger? or did you forget that 2 sides fought these wars? 2 sides had choices, 2 sides were responsible?
And are you so sure that what later happened was indeed what was intended by the USA? Nooooo, they intended something much better. If you deny that, you have to prove it, and the rule is: Innocent until proven guilty. But I can assure you that I too can bring proof; of the bad intentions, and actions of all those other governments, countries.
And when you then don’t condemn all those other countries in the same manner, then you measure with 2 yardsticks. And I think that you don’t like to do that, because then you risk being called hypocritical. and If God would be angry only at America and the West, and not at all those other states, then HE too risks being considered hypocritical.
Demsci says
//”problem now is that America claims to be a benevolent super power who stands for ‘human rights’ etc and yet in some ways, it is acting like those countries in the ancient times”//
Justin, thanks for responding, as I said, your points, analysis, are valid, to me. The American government is acting stupid and immoral at times.
But in the above quote of yours lies a big problem, I think. Not only you, but huge numbers of Whites, Blacks, Muslims and others use the thought that “America claims to be a BENEVOLENT super power”
subconscious as reason to put America to much higher standards, and thus all the other existing governments and organisation-leaderships, which it fights, or fight it, get put to much lower standards or no standards at all.
This makes all of you using unjustified double standards to America’s disadvantage.
It is unfair; the Americans should not be held to higher standards, just because they strive for benevolence. They remain the same humans, not better or worse than the other humans.
Demsci says
I don’t think the majority of the people or the government or congress or senate of America ever claimed that, Justin!
And I don’t think that the other humans or governments or groups ever officially elevated Americans to a higher moral level or payed them to be that.
At best, Americans brag sometimes. And now, subconscious, you and so many people treat them unjustly, with huge double standards to their disadvantage, for bragging!!!
I emphasize to you that so many cultures, governments BRAG(GED)! I think the Muslims bragged a lot at the height of their power! Why, even now they have a holy book claiming they are the best of people! And remember: Being Muslim is a choice, Being American is not!
Thanks for good conversation.
Peter Buckley says
“Over 20,000 Muslims from outside Syria have joined the jihad there.”
More good news. Why is anyone bothering to stop them? Maybe we should even pay their air fare.Just don’t let the clowns back in…..
Frank says
They are not jihadists. They are just construction workers trying to rebuild the damage done to buildings, streets, houses, hospitals! And after that, they can restart tearing it all to the ground again. This is work, guys. Work! And occuparional therapy!
dumbledoresarmy says
You wrote – “Why is anyone bothering to stop them? Maybe we should even pay their air fare.Just don’t let the clowns back in….”.
Exactly.
If the governments of all those majority-Infidel nations from whom infidel-country-passport-holding Muslims are galloping off to Syria to jump into the jihad bloodbath, had their wits about them, they would do *nothing* to stop said Muslims from going. But, once they *were* gone, then the passports would be annulled and the citizenships or residencies annulled likewise; *no returning to the lands of the Infidels*.
(And at the same time, all further Muslim entry into *all* Infidel lands would be stopped. They would not be let in. Not as ‘asylum seekers’, not as ‘refugees’, not as ‘tourists’ not as ‘students’ not as standard ‘immigrants’ – NOTHING. Not. one. more. Muslim.).
Then the jihad in Syria would become…flypaper. Honeypot. **Bug zapper**.
And the net result would be that in the West – and in a number of other lands besides – the total number of resident Muslims would be perceptibly decreased.
Especially if all those who were *recruiting* for the Syria jihad on our soil, and raising money for them, and enabling them in any other provable ways, were given the boot too, as soon as discovered. And if each and every mosque found to be associated with the recruiting and sending of Muslims to Syria for the jihad, was shut down.
mariam rove says
Excellent! The more the merrier!!! Let them all go and visit the 72 virgins!!! M
Walter Sieruk says
As stated before this irrational and wicked Islamic movement towards of of Islam is even worse then terrible and awful. Of all the strange and odd things those who go to follow ISIS might be so very wicked, warped, sick and deluded, because of their religion, that they actually believe that the violent,brutal and deadly jihad of ISIS is something that is “good.” If this is the case with them and they are that wicked, warped, sick and deluded as the view such evil as “good.” The Bible answer those of such a terrible way of thinking. For the Bible reads “Woe tot hose who call evil good and good evil…” Isaiah 5:20. The evil and mad mindset of the ISIS thugs are described in the Bible .Which teaches “The hearts of men are full of evil and their is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.” Ecclesiastes 9:3. Furthermore, the ISIS fiends are so vile that they gather together against Christian and then go further in their extreme evil to even murder children. This type of heinous and hideous evil may be describe in the Bible . Which reads “They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.” Psalm 94:21. The villains of ISIS are so very violent that the curse found in the Bible might well be on them. For the Bible reads “May disaster hunt down men of violence.” Psalm 140:11. [N.I.V.]
Angemon says
Wasn’t an Iranian or “palestinian” spokesperson who said of Israel something like “it’s good that all the Jews come to one place, makes it easier for us to kill them all”? Let’s apply the same logic to the islamic state…
dumbledoresarmy says
Yep.
Islamic State is rapidly becoming what military men are wont to call a “target rich environment”.
Nicu says
and of course it has nothing to do with Islam …
evilness spreading and our lame leaders leaving us alone …
David Thompson says
According to the Jordainians their air force just killed 7000 ISIS fighters over the weekend. If that is true then nearly one third of ISIS killed. They will be needing more than 20000 to replace their stock