Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
ISLAMIC STATE HAS become notorious around the world for its brutal violence – including mass killings and beheadings – in the space of less than 18 months.
In that time, it has risen from regional force to global threat.
Barack Obama, before the Paris terror attacks on Friday, said that the militant group’s geographic expansion in Iraq and Syria had been contained.
Today, faced with an utterly changed geopolitical landscape in the wake of the carnage in Paris, the world’s major powers have been setting out their coordinated response to the violence, which has been claimed by IS.
A new Islamic State video threatens a Paris-style attack on Washington https://t.co/zl8WT1O1h0
Obama has declared it as an “attack on the civilised world” – and Russian president Vladimir Putin said that the tragic events in Paris showed the global community needed “to unite our efforts in fighting this evil, something we should have done a long time ago”.
So what are the roots of the group?
And how has their influence and capability grown in the year-and-a-half since they first became widely known outside of Iraq and Syria?
Tributes at the Le Petit Cambodge in Paris, following the terrorist attacks on Friday evening.
PA WIRE
PA WIRE
The idea of a caliphate – which is, roughly-speaking, the creation of a holy land for Muslims under the leadership of a ‘caliph’ – dates back to the seventh century, after the time of the prophet Muhammad’s death. Isis has resurrected the idea.
The militant group has existed in various forms since 1999 and was originally an Iraq-based affiliate of al-Qaida.
Islamic State’s current leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi – who was born in Iraq in 1971 – took over in charge in 2010.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, speaking in Mosul in 2014.
In 2013 Islamic State in Iraq changed its name to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – becoming known as Isis or Isil around the western world. In Arabic, Islamic State is known as Daesh.
Al-Qaida formally ended its affiliation with the group in February of 2014, having become frustrated with its independence and brutality, according to Bloomberg.
Al-Baghdadi claims to be a direct descendent of the prophet Muhammad. The US State Department has a bounty of $10 million on his head.
How much territory does it hold?
The group took control of the western Iraqi city of Fallujah in September 2012. It began to advance across eastern parts of Syria the following spring – seizing oil wells and collecting taxes to fund its war effort as it continued its attacks.
Islamic State militants took control of Raqqah in 2014, and the Syrian city has since become the group’s de facto capital.
IS extremists seized control of Iraq’s second biggest city, Mosul, in June of last year – sending troops and residents fleeing. Members of the Iraqi military reportedly abandoned their posts as the Isis fighters advanced.
A US Department of Defense map of Isis territory from April of this year. US Department of Defense
US Department of Defense
According to the BBC, then-director of the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Matthew Olsen, said in September of 2014 that Islamic State controlled much of the Tigris-Euphrates river basin – an area similar in size to the UK.
Some 25% to 30% of Iraqi territory had been taken back from Islamic State by April of this year, the US defence department said. However, its territory in Syria remained largely unaffected.
How has it built its power?
Islamic State’s reputation for violence and brutality spread online and via traditional media from the summer of 2014.
A series of horrific killings were carried out by the group – many presided over by the masked militant known as ‘Jihadi John’ (Mohammed Emwazi – he was the target of a US drone strike last Thursday and is now believed killed).
Still image from an Islamic State video.
Among those beheaded by Islamic State in videos posted online since August 2014 were US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, US aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.
Advertisement
In the videos, a tall masked figure clad in black and speaking in a British accent typically began one of the gruesome videos with a political rant and a kneeling hostage before him, and ended it holding an oversize knife in his hand with the headless victim lying before him in the sand.
IS militants have shown themselves to be sophisticated users of social media – and are reported to have recruiters all over the western world seeking out new fighters.
A number of other groups have also pledged allegiance to Islamic State, effectively creating ‘franchises’ – including Nigeria’s Boko Haram, as well as groups in Libya and on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Traditional advances also continued across Iraq and Syria – including May’s capture of the ancient city of Palmyra. Ramadi, the capital of the western Iraqi province of Anbar, also fell to Isis in spring of this year – months after Iraqi forces retook the city of Tikrit, backed by airstrikes.
Many of its weapons are simply captured from its enemies in the battlefield. However, the group has also had strong support from within a number of Gulf countries. War reporter David Axe told Public Radio International last year that Isis, like all Syrian opposition groups, has enjoyed support from individuals within Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
“What ISIS wants, to some extent, overlaps with what certain powerful people in some of these Gulf states want, which is, for lack of a better word, a ‘Sunni-stan’ — a homogenous Sunni Muslim state in what is now Syria and Iraq,” Axe said.
Who is fighting them?
The US began airstrikes against IS in Iraq in August of 2014. Coalition airstrikes on territory in Syria – including Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – began the following month.
Associated Press
Associated Press
Britain has been involved in strikes on Iraqi territory but not in Syria. However, speaking earlier this month foreign secretary Philip Hammond said the country expected to escalate its campaign against Isis into Syria as soon as a consensus could be reached in Parliament.
France carried out its first air-strikes against Islamic State in Syria in September of this year - destroying a training camp in the eastern town of Deir al-Zour. Like the UK, the country had previously confined its strikes to Iraqi airspace.
Backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia entered the Syrian civil war at the end of September this year – targeting rebel groups backed by western leaders, as well as Islamic State.
An RAF Reaper UAV. PA WIRE
PA WIRE
Why are people talking about a ‘new phase’ of violence?
While there has been no hard evidence as yet, it’s highly likely Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt was behind the bombing of a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai desert, which crashed killing all 244 people on board last month.
It’s believed a bomb was placed in the plane’s hold before take-off.
“The Sinai attack would be a first, and would signal that the Islamic State has become both capable of — and interested in — joining the dreadful ranks of global terrorism,” an analysis by the Soufan Group, a private geopolitical risk assessment company, found.
A Russian investigator walks near wreckage of the downed plane. Associated Press
Associated Press
Isis were also blamed for two suicide bomb attacks that killed 100 people attending a pro-Kurdish rally in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on 11 October.
The group also claimed responsibility for twin bombs that killed 44 people in Beirut on Thursday of last week.
France has already responded to Friday’s attacks with a series of “massive” airstrikes on Isis stronghold Raqqa.
World leaders have also vowed to boost intelligence sharing, cut off terrorist funding and strengthen border security in Europe as they seek to show unity in the wake of the Paris attacks.
While US officials said President Obama viewed the attacks in France as an act of war, they cautioned he had no plans to overhaul his strategy for dismantling Islamic State.
The President later said it would be a mistake to send US troops into a ground war.
Special intervention forces sit on top of a roof as they prepare to enter a house in Brussels today. Associated Press
Associated Press
Meanwhile, a crackdown on suspected accomplices of the Paris bombings has been continuing in France and Belgium.
French police carried out nearly 170 searches and arrested 23 people in raids overnight, and 104 people have been placed under house arrest over the weekend.
The Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud – a child of Moroccan immigrants – was today named by French authorities as the suspected mastermind behind the Paris attacks.
With reporting from Associated Press.
(Updated at 4.30pm to include detail on where Isis gets weapons and support – following a number of queries – DB)
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Joan.. He went under the name Iain M Banks when writing his sci fi novels… That should help.. Make sure to read the wasp factory and crow road… Bloody sublime.
How sad … Read the wasp factory meny moons ago and it was a masterpiece … My English teacher borrowed it and said it was the best fiction he ever read . I think that says it all .. Great writer !
Never read any of his sci-fi but my personal favourite Complicity was a great and underrated book of his. A very talented storyteller. He leaves a valuable legacy to future generations who appreciate good writing.
It’s a toss up who was the greatest SF writer, Banks or Philip K Dick. All very sudden. Apparently he didn’t suffer towards the end. 59 is very young nowadays. I’m reading The Hydrogen Sonata. Maybe I’ll read it slowly.
Man accused of extortion after demanding money from woman and threatening to rape and 'lock her up'
7 mins ago
0
Palestine
Video shows medics killed in Gaza were fired upon while driving in marked aid vehicles
33 mins ago
1.1k
trade war
China slaps extra 34% tariffs on US imports as Trump vows his 'policies will never change'
Updated
21 hrs ago
62.0k
182
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 164 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 111 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 146 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 116 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 85 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 85 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 39 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 35 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 136 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 61 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 76 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 84 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 37 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 47 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 27 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 93 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 100 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 73 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 55 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 91 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 69 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say