My Thoughts on the Islamic State Children with Guns

[Anthea]

L A Times

In the wake of a video purporting to show a child executing two prisoners, Islamic State militants released images Thursday of toddlers practicing their skill with toy guns.



"Lions cubs ... raised in the land of the Caliphate," the caption reads for the series of six photos shared online by supporters of the militant group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria. The pictures show small boys playing, rather grimly, with toy assault rifles.

Two images depict a child somberly aiming down the sight of a mock M-16 from a kneeling and a prone stance. Another picture features a toddler, appearing to be no older than 3, cradling a gun with a forlorn expression on his face.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant groups, the photos were issued from the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqah, Syria.

Islamic State has put a premium on the use of propaganda and has made savvy use of social media. It routinely uploads images and videos of children engaged in religious study or prayers. It has also shown children at play with the corpses of dead prisoners, using decapitated heads as soccer balls and shouting slogans supporting Islamic State.

The militant group blitzed through large areas of Syria and Iraq in June, wresting control of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, before marching toward the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. An offensive two months later on Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Iraq spurred a wide-scale U.S.-led aerial campaign to stop the group's progress.

Human rights groups have accused Islamic State of using child soldiers. Residents of areas under its control claim the group sends its fighters to schools to recruit children.

A video released Tuesday showed a boy who appeared to be about 12 using a gun to apparently execute two men who were identified as Russian prisoners of Islamic State.

The Sunni extremists espouse a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, with punishments including amputations, crucifixions and beheadings. It has unleashed a wave of attacks on the region's minorities, with systematic kidnappings and massacres.

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast ... story.html

[Anthea]

In the wake of a video purporting to show a child executing two prisoners, Islamic State militants released images Thursday of toddlers practicing their skill with toy guns.



"Lions cubs ... raised in the land of the Caliphate," the caption reads for the series of six photos shared online by supporters of the militant group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria. The pictures show small boys playing, rather grimly, with toy assault rifles.

I think it only fair to point out that in many Sates of America toddlers are taught to use REAL guns at legally run gun clubs - at least these children are only using toy guns

Islamic State has put a premium on the use of propaganda and has made savvy use of social media. It routinely uploads images and videos of children engaged in religious study or prayers.

Again many faiths across MOST countries children take part in Religious instruction and prayer from a very early age

Many Christian groups prefer their children to attend single faith schools where they learn about the religion from an early age

Most Christian Churches have groups for children to attend while their parents are taking part in the main church services - these groups are based around Christian beliefs and Bible stories

It has also shown children at play with the corpses of dead prisoners, using decapitated heads as soccer balls and shouting slogans supporting Islamic State.

Doubtful they really were decapitated heads but Muslims often celebrate by slaughtering innocent animals and smearing blood on young children - it may well be that one act of barbarism leads to another

The militant group blitzed through large areas of Syria and Iraq in June, wresting control of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, before marching toward the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

We all know that due to the ill treatment of the Sunni population at the hands of the Iraqi Shia government many Sunni welcomed IS into their towns

Mosul was a city divided - a city where Sunni and Shia spent most of their time living apart having to pass through numerous checkpoints in order to pass through different parts of the city - I gather that under the IS state most if not all of those checkpoints have been moved allowing for a far greater freedom of movement

Human rights groups have accused Islamic State of using child soldiers. Residents of areas under its control claim the group sends its fighters to schools to recruit children.

Sadly this happens in many countries - it has happened even in the UK to a certain extent - some organisations have gone into Mosques and community centres recruiting young people to fight for their cause abroad - the Islamic Front are NOT the only group to have done such things on British soil

A video released Tuesday showed a boy who appeared to be about 12 using a gun to apparently execute two men who were identified as Russian prisoners of Islamic State.

Again we have no proof as to the legitimacy of this video - shockingly sad if it is genuine

The Sunni extremists espouse a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, with punishments including amputations, crucifixions and beheadings. It has unleashed a wave of attacks on the region's minorities, with systematic kidnappings and massacres.

The world has moved on since the days of Mohammed and the Quran itself has been misinterpreted by numerous clerics over the centuries - many Muslims/Christians in today's society seem to pick out certain parts of their Quran/Bible to follow and often ignore much or the original teachings

I am not surprised that a group such as the Islamic State should try to return to the basics of Islamic beliefs - I am just shocked that they should inflict such suffering upon others

If a person does not share another person's beliefs he should not try to force that belief upon them - I believe that a person's faith and religious practises are a matter between themselves and their God

I do not threaten to kill people if they do not worship the Great God Cadbury

[Piling]

[RomaMater]

An obvious case of child abuse.