Khilafah – Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

Nigeria: Mass Murder of 21 Muslims by Boko Haram Terrorists

In another terrorist attack targeting the killing of Muslims in Nigeria, the terrorist group Boko Haram launched a vicious attack in Nigeria on November 27, 2015, killing thus far 21 and injuring dozens (at least 45). The terrorist suicide bomber detonated himself in the middle of a procession of hundred of Shiite Muslims in the village of Dakasoye, Garun Mallam near Kano, Nigeria.

The Associated Press reports that local police stated a “second suicide bomber was detained before he could blow himself up and was being interrogated.”

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria, attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists, reported: “Scores of Brothers and Sister, including children were killed. Among the dead was the bomber whose only remain was his chest and head.”

Like the vicious terrorist group ISIS, the Boko Haram also wish to create a “caliphate” based on their extremist ideology, and murder any Muslims in Nigeria who deviate from their extremist path.

On November 18, 2015, Boko Haram had another terrorist attack in Kano, killing 18.

Amnesty International has reported that in the past six years, the Boko Haram terror campaign has resulted in the loss of life of 20,000 people and driven 2.3 million from their homes.

November 27, 2015 - Boko Haram Terrorist Group Murders a Crowd of Muslims with Suicide Bombers in the village of Dakasoye, Garun Mallam near Kano, Nigeria — November 27, 2015 – Boko Haram Terrorist Group Murders a Crowd of Muslims with Suicide Bombers in the village of Dakasoye, Garun Mallam near Kano, Nigeria

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands in support of our universal human rights for all, and we stand in defiance against those, including terrorist and hate groups, which seek to attack such universal human rights, dignity, and security for all

Voice of Human Rights Must Challenge Khilafah Extremists from ISIS or Other Groups

When extremists have come to the United States of America to attack democracy, call for an end to our shared universal human rights, and call for a global Khilafah (as ‪#‎ISIS‬ also does), where have been the voices challenging this? There have been very few. And when the Hizb ut-Tahrir group, which shares ISIS‘ goals for a ‪#‎Khilafah‬ state, held such an event within a short drive of Washington DC, who was there to challenge such views? Just Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.). If we are outraged over the terrorist attacks and threats by ISIS, we need to first start with finding the Courage of our Convictions, to defend the democratic human rights that we support. We need the voices of the rest of the nation and the world on this.

June 14, 2015 - Demonstration in Support of Democracy and Universal Human Rights by R.E.A.L. at Hizb ut-Tahrir America Extremist Conference in the Washington, DC Suburb of Springfield, Virginia — June 14, 2015 – Demonstration in Support of Democracy and Universal Human Rights by R.E.A.L. at Hizb ut-Tahrir America Extremist Conference in the Washington, DC Suburb of Springfield, Virginia

R.E.A.L.'s Jeffrey Imm Leads Protestors to Challenge Hizb ut-Tahrir America in Oak Brook, IL (Chicago suburb) — R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm Leads Protestors to Challenge Hizb ut-Tahrir America in Oak Brook, IL (Chicago suburb)

Protesters Supporting Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms in Oak Brook, IL Outside Hizb ut-Tahrir Event

Demonstrators Rejecting Hizb ut-Tahrir's View that Democracy is "Kufr" and Must Be Rejected (Hizb ut-Tahrir Oak Brook, IL) — Demonstrators Rejecting Hizb ut-Tahrir’s View that Democracy is “Kufr” and Must Be Rejected (Hizb ut-Tahrir Oak Brook, IL)

Chicago Demonstrators in 2009 - Rejecting Anti-Human Rights Message of Hizb ut-Tahrir — Chicago Demonstrators in 2009 – Rejecting Anti-Human Rights Message of Hizb ut-Tahrir

What We Believe - Responsible for Equality And Liberty's Jeffrey Imm Demonstrating Outside Hizb ut-Tahrir America's July 19, 2009 Chicago Event — What We Believe – Responsible for Equality And Liberty’s Jeffrey Imm Demonstrating Outside Hizb ut-Tahrir America’s July 19, 2009 Chicago Event

ISIS Terrorist Cowards Make Ramadan Attacks on Mosque, Muslims, Women, Children – 200 Killed in Five Countries

ISIS terrorists launched a string of terrorist attacks in multiple nations on June 25 and June 26, 2015 to murder Muslims, women, children, elderly, and tourists – in Syria, Kuwait, Tunisia, France, during the Islamic holiday of Ramadan. The vast majority of the 153 murdered in these ISIS terrorist attacks were Muslims. This is also the case in another 50 killed by ISIS ally Al-Shabab today, June 26. Combined, the ISIS terrorist and terrorist ally Al-Shabab attacks killed over 200, targeting mostly Muslims.

In Syria, the ISIS terror group killed at least 145 civilians in an attack on the Syrian town of Kobani and a nearby village on Thursday, June 25. Reuters reported the “attack on the predominantly Kurdish town of Kobani and the nearby village of Brakh Bootan marked the biggest single massacre of civilians by Islamic State in Syria since it killed hundreds of members of the Sunni Sheitaat tribe last year.” The gruesome images of Muslim children’s bodies destroyed into pieces and row after row of children’s bodies after the ISIS terror attack in Kobani is heart-rending.

ISIS terror group killed at least 145 civilians in Kobani, Syria, including children, women, elderly

YPG spokesman Rami Abdulrahman told Reuters 46 civilians had been killed. The YPG spokesman said at least 145 had died in the assault launched by a group of Islamic State fighters estimated to number in the dozens. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said an estimated 50,000 people had been displaced within Hasaka city while 10,000 had left northwards toward Amuda town, close to the Turkish border. It warned that up to 200,000 people could eventually flee.

In Kuwait, on June 26, ISIS terrorists bombed the the Shiite mosque of Al-Sadiq on the Muslim day of prayer, in the middle of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam. The ISIS terror group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing of the mosque. CCTV camera images showed the ISIS terrorist entering the mosque, during the Friday prayers, then using a cowardly suicide bomb to murder the unsuspecting Muslim worshippers. The gruesome photos of the killings in the mosque included young children who had gone for Ramadan prayers. The terrorist attack on Muslims left at least 8 dead, and many injured. The ISIS terrorist group bragged that it had killed and injured dozens in the attack on the Kuwait mosque. The Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah condemned the “cowardly terrorist act.”

ISIS Cowards Attack Shiite mosque of Al-Sadiq during Muslim Ramadan Prayers

In Tunisia, a reported ISIS terrorist attacked the Hotel Imperial Marhaba in Sousse, opening fire on beachgoers, and killing at least 39 people and injuring at least 39. At least five victims were British, according to the U.K. Foreign Office. An ISIS report stated that one of their terrorist used as a suicide bomb and that two of their terrorist members opened fire with guns on tourists at the beach resort. One of the reported ISIS cowards gunning down people on the beach includes the now dead attacker named as Abu Yahya Al-Qayrawani (from Kairouan/Tunisia), who was shot by police during his rampage against helpless people. One courageous man Matthew James was shot three times as he used his body as a human shield to protect his fiance.

Cowardly ISIS Terrorists Shoot at Beachgoers in Sousse, killing at least 39 people and injuring at least 39.

In France’s Saint-Quentin-Fallavier (Isere region) near Grenoble, a terrorist sought to explode gas cylinders at an American gas products company, Air Products, and beheaded a man. The alleged killer has been arrested and named as Yassine Salhi, 30, with the victim believed to be his employer. The French victim’s (Hervé Cornara) body was mutilated, labeled with Arabic lettering, and staged with two Khilafah shahada Arabic flags next to his body (one black and one white) next to his body, with the victim’s head posted on a fence. FRANCE 24 and the NYT reported that Yassin Salhi was being monitored since 2006 due to his association with “very radical” extremist groups. Police authorities arrested a second individual (Frédéric Jean Salvi), said to be “close” to him and is reportedly a radical cleric sought by Indonesian authorities, and his wife was also questioned, but has since been released. The president of the company targeted in the attack, Air Products, is a Shia Iranian named Seifi Ghasemi. Authorities believe Salhi may have been influenced or connected to ISIS.

Cowardly Terrorist Beheads Unarmed Man in France, Then Praises Khilafah

On Friday June 26, the ISIS ally of Al-Shabab killed 50 in Somalia, in an attack on an African Union base in military base in southern Somalia, with another 20 soldiers and 40 civilians missing and feared kidnapped for Al-Shabab’s slavery. This followed a June 24 attack by Al-Shabab on a UAE diplomatic convoy by a suicide bomber killing six Muslims.

ISIS Ally Al-Shabab in Somalia Kill and Kidnap Unarmed Civilians, Enslave Women

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) extends its prayers and sympathy to all those whose loved ones and lives were tragically impacted by such cowardly terrorist attacks. These attacks demonstrate, once again, that the only real ideology such cowardly terrorists have is a commitment to the destruction of our universal shared human rights of freedom of religion, security, dignity, equality, and liberty.

These cowards who target those in prayer, those on the shore, and those simply going about the daily lives are not the “warriors” that claim to be. They are sick, cowardly thugs who seek to snuff out the lives of children, women, elderly, and those who can’t defend themselves, because this is the only type of “fighting” capable by such cowards. They rationalize their attacks on houses of worship, our children, mothers, and families as promoting an ideology, but the only ideology they have is cowardly hate. We call for all those who glamorize such cowards to see them for who they really are in these attacks, mostly on Muslims, during Ramadan.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty is committed to our shared universal human rights, dignity, security for all people around the world, and in opposition to such criminal gangs who seek to rob us of our shared human rights. We urge all people to defy such enemies of human rights, and to be responsible for equality and liberty.

R.E.A.L. Demonstration/Outreach to Hizb ut-Tahrir at DC Area Conference

On June 14, 2015, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) held a demonstration and human rights outreach in defense of Democracy, Equality, and Universal Human Rights, outside of the extremist convention by the Hizb ut-Tahrir America organization in a Virginia suburb of our nation’s capital.

R.E.A.L. has protested the extremist views of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Chicago at other national conferences and around the world since 2009. R.E.A.L. has challenged Hizb ut-Tahrir and its supporters at such conferences to reconsider their calls to deny universal human rights and equality for other people, and their calls for a global caliphate “Khilafah” to persecute other Muslims and people with different views.

We have seen that ISIS has also promoted such a “Khilafah” and we have seen and documented the violence and oppression that the ISIS terrorist group has used in promoting its “Khilafah” approach to public oppression.

It is and has been R.E.A.L.’s position that we must consistently support the Universal Human Rights for all people of all identity groups around the world, including defending their rights to freedom, equality, dignity, and security.

It is and has been R.E.A.L.’s position that those promoting a global caliphate government will defy such universal human rights and will actively seek to deny human rights for others. As in the case of Hizb ut-Tahrir, they actively reject democracy, they actively reject women’s rights, and they actively reject religious freedom for others. R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm saw Hizb ut-Tahrir extremist documents being distributed at the first Hizb ut-Tahrir America convention in Chicago suburbs (Oak Brook, Illinois) which called in writing for the death penalty for those who chose another religion and left Islam.

We believe that our Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 18, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Part III Article 18, not only gives us freedom of religion, but also gives us freedom of conscience, and the right for those who choose to be religious to change their religion, or to change their views.

We reject the extremist views of Hizb ut-Tahrir and Hizb ut-Tahrir America. We call for others who are passionate to stand up in defense of Democracy and in defense of our universal human rights.

Every day is another good day for all of us to be…

Responsible for Equality And Liberty.

Why We Must Struggle for Democracy – Everyone Matters

Democracy gives us hope for change and a path to defend the human rights for all. In a democracy, everyone matters. Democracy matters.

What would our lives and the next generation’s future be without democracy? Without the democratic ability to make our own decisions as free men and women, how can we defend our universal human rights of equality and liberty?

But the struggle for democracy is not one fight, not a single battle, one war for freedom, where victory is declared, and democracy is secured. It is a continuous struggle and effort to win, keep, and maintain a democracy. We need to continuously work to build a democratic society where the voices of the people can be heard, and where human rights for all are part of the democratic process. A “democracy” which does not respect the inherent human rights of others fails to understand that in a democracy EVERYONE MATTERS.

Democracies are not simply about majority votes. That is what majority oppressors with power would like the world to believe. That is what tyrants with an agenda want to people to believe, so they can deceive into accepting a dictatorship. They will attack the flaws of any individual democratic state and tell the world, “see this is what democracy leads to.”

The tyrants and the authoritarians take failures in democracies out of context. They only show the failures. They are silent about all the people trying to correct the failures. They don’t mention how people use their democratic freedoms to vote to promote change, to march for the rights of all, and how they protest together in the cause of democratic freedoms.

Tyrants particularly enjoy pouncing on the failures of democracy in America, which are widely publicized by Americans themselves (because they denounce such failures), and ignoring what people who love democracy seek to do to correct these failures.

In the tyrant’s propaganda against democracy, there is only slavery in America, without a Civil War; there is only Jim Crow laws, without a 15th Amendment to the Constitution; there is only denying women the right to vote, without a 19th Amendment to the Constitution; there is only Civil Rights challenges, without a Martin Luther King, Jr. and the generation that followed; there is only a failure to provide full Constitutional protection, without the campaign for Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.); there is only police abuse against African-Americans, without a campaign to hold law enforcement accountable and ensure that black lives and all lives matter.

Nor is this propaganda exclusive to denying democratic struggles in the United States of America. Tyrants will have similar half-truths in every other democratic country.

But the tyrants’ half-truths will only tell one side of the story. The goal of tyrants are to entice the discouraged, the disaffected, and those in despair from giving up on democracy altogether, but telling them only about democracy’s failures, and silencing discussion about democracy’s promise. The tyrants want people to give up hope on democracy and submit to their rule.

If there no other reason that compels you to struggle for democracy, take that vision to your heart. Can we be so selfish and heartless that we will not offer outstretched hands to bring back our brothers and sisters in despair on democracy from the clutches of tyranny? No, no. Those who love democracy know that our democratic freedoms and hopes are intended for everyone.

It is our responsibility to continue the struggle for democracy – for the generation today, and the the generations tomorrow.

Many don’t like the word “struggle.” It implies so much effort and work, and less of going with the natural flows in life. That’s right. It does and it is. While equality may be the natural law of humanity, we know that there have always been and will always be tyrants and bullies who seek to defy such natural law. We have seen the Dark Ages of the past, and it is our responsibility to help lead our society to the sunrise of a compassionate tomorrow.

Democracy must be compassionate. If in a democracy – everyone matters, then in a democracy – we must be compassionate to the suffering of our fellow human beings. How we can we believe they matter, if we don’t care about the suffering of others? Those who talk about democratic rights, but do not have democratic hearts, have lost sight of the meaning of democracy itself. They may know the tune, but they don’t understand the words or what they mean.

In our world today, our pace is so fast that we have often lost sight of compassion, of patience, and of kindness. We have forgotten that those too are part of our democratic ideals, if everyone matters. In a democracy, we must lead with our heart first.

We are rightfully an impatient people when it comes to abuses against our democracy and failures of our leaders. We may be frustrated and angry at those who would defy our democratic ideals. But even then, we must work for the democratic values of fairness and human rights for everyone – even those who do wrong. This doesn’t make us weak. It makes us stronger than any tyrant’s iron fist.

In today’s world, certainly there are many discouraged with our practices of democracy. But the greatest sign of the success of democracy are all the books and articles written by those who complain that it hasn’t yet met its goals, and complaining about its failures. Now THAT is democracy at work, that is the democratic freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom of expression that free men and women accept as part of their natural lives.

When we are discouraged, that is the most important time to channel our frustration into action. The greatest cure to democracy’s ills is the action by those who know that everyone matters and that democracy matters.

We may think democracy doesn’t need defenders, and that “someone else” will defend democracy. We may think that our individual passions, causes, and campaigns are more productive channels for our time and energy, because after all, everyone understands the need for democracy.

But that is not true. Our struggle for democracy itself is as essential as the air which we breathe. We cannot chose to wait for “someone else.” My brothers and sisters in humanity, when it comes to defending democracy, we are the “someone else” who must struggle to defend it. There is no cause more essential than democracy to freedom and our shared universal human rights.

In a democracy, we love our rights, but we must love our responsibilities even more. We cannot have human rights, without human responsibilities. When you stand for democracy, you are responsible for equality and liberty for your fellow human beings.

Sometimes you will need to take a stand on your own against those who seek the destruction of democracy. Remember you are never alone when you stand for democracy, equality, and liberty. Free man and women of the world stand behind you.

Today will be such a day for me. I need to stand alone against a determined foe of democracy. The extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) will be in the Washington DC suburb of Springfield, Virginia to recruit minds to persuade them to reject democracy. HuT is openly against democracy with a “No Democracy” campaign, and denial of human rights, rejection of women’s equality, and a goal to subjagate people under a religious dictatorship. But there are plenty of enemies of democracy. If it was not HuT, it would some other extremists against democracy. We must provide a challenge to those who seek the end to democracy.

In our busy, overwhelmed lives, it would be convenient to be silent in the face of the enemies of democracy. But if democracy matters for everyone, then does not democracy matter for those who seek to be recruited by tyrants?

The defense of democracy will not simply be made in air-conditioned conference rooms by people in business suits, and nicely organized meetings, who have their lunch catered.

No the defense of democracy must also be done on our feet, in the streets, when it is hard, when you can’t find a way or the time, and when it seems impossible. Free men and women don’t know the meaning of the word “impossible” in the defense of democracy.

We must continually struggle for democracy – because democracy matters for all of us. It is the foundation to defend our shared universal human rights. Democracy matters.

We must continue our struggle for democracy, because it is not just our rights that matter, it is also our shared responsibilities.

We are all responsible for equality and liberty.

And it is always another GOOD DAY to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.

Khilafah “Justice” on Gays is Murder

In another of attack on universal human rights, life, and dignity, news of the Khilafah-seeking ISIS terror group shows the terrorists committing more killings of gays. The ISIS authoritarian group has established its own religious Hisbah “police force.” In lands where ISIS occupying powers have taken control, reports state the ISIS group has been using “undercover operatives” to lure gays out, and then beating them to death by stoning or throwing them off of buildings in public executions.

Khilafah's Form of "Justice" for Gays - Hunting and Down and Publicly Murdering Gays by Stoning, Throwing Them Off Buildings (Center ISIS Khilafah Police Vehicle) — Khilafah’s Form of “Justice” for Gays – Hunting and Down and Publicly Murdering Gays by Stoning, Throwing Them Off Buildings (Center ISIS Khilafah Police Vehicle)

The Khilafah ISIS Hisbah religious police use undercover “flirt squads” to try to seduce and entrap gays for public execution. In addition, the Khilafah’s Hisbah also frame people as gay, to rationalize such public murders.

We call for the world public to show OUTRAGE for the public and atrocious murders of gays by these authoritarians. Their contemptible human rights violations deserve the world’s condemnation.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L) supports the universal human rights, life, and human dignity of all of our brothers and sisters in humanity. We reject the authoritarian tactics of hunting and murdering people for their sexual orientation, or for any of their identity group characteristics, as a fundamental attack on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and a fundamental attack on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

These monstrous public spectacles to use authoritarian measures to deny human rights to anyone because of the identity group are an attack on our universal human rights – by ANYONE who denies these human rights.

Rejecting these horrific human rights violations is not an attack on Islam, but is a call for ending these crimes against humanity by the Khilafah group ISIS.

“An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The words by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. resonate as a fundamental basis for our shared human rights.

As previously reported by R.E.A.L, the fascist tactics by the anti-freedom group which seeks the establishment of a dictatorial Khilafah demonstrate their complete and total contempt for the equality and liberty which are our shared fundamental human rights.

We urge the friends of freedom to continue to challenge authoritarians and authoritarian murderers who are at WAR with our shared universal human rights. Together, we must be united to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.

Terror Group ISIS Urges Baltimore Protesters to “Join Them”

The failure of the American justice community in the Baltimore death of Freddie Gray is being exploited by the terror group ISIS. According to the Daily Express, the terror group ISIS is trying to “recruit angry Baltimore rioters by promising them a ‘racially equal society’.” “It is not the first time the extremists have attempted to tempt disaffected black Americans to join them.”

ISIS Khilafah Police in Parts of Iraq Oppressing the Public (Source: AP)

Let’s not forget the real face of Khilafah”justice” by ISIS: whippings, murder, beheadings, shooting, burning to death anyone with a different faith, and anyone who dares to seek freedom of speech.

"Khilafah Justice" from ISIS - Murdering Blacks — “Khilafah Justice” from ISIS – Murdering Blacks

Let’s not forget that blacks, women, gays and religious minorities are the number one target of ISIS’s Khilafah “justice” to murder, torture, and mutilate.

"Khilafah Justice" - ISIS's Version of "Police Authority" - Shootings, Beheading, Whipping - they are "equal rights" they kill anyone who is not their faith, they torture anyone who does not submit to their bullying — “Khilafah Justice” – ISIS’s Version of “Police Authority” – Shootings, Beheading, Whipping – they are “equal rights” they kill anyone who is not their faith, they torture anyone who does not submit to their bullying

More Khilafah "Justice" by ISIS in Beheading Execution by Khilafah Religious Police "Hisbah" — More Khilafah “Justice” by ISIS in Beheading Execution by Khilafah Religious Police “Hisbah”

It would be like Adolf Hitler claiming he was for black civil rights, while he was conducting the Holocaust of men, women, and children of every nationality, who murdered, sterilized, and tortured black human beings.

The failure of the American justice community in Baltimore and other major cities is a disgrace to the great United States of America.

But because we are democracy and because we respect democratic values, our shared American representative government gives all of us a voice to work together to change these problems and to see that extremists in law enforcement who abuse their authority are punished to the full extent of the law.

It is not good enough. It is not fast enough. It shouldn’t be an issue that we discuss in the first place. But a democracy gives ALL of us a place to work together to end injustices for anyone, anywhere. A choice to support another form of government which rejects democracy is not solution, it is simply making a bad situation worse.

Ask our friends in Darfur.

sudan-17-yo-whipped — Sudan: Teenage girl whipped in the street. Her crime? Wearing pants.

To those extremists in law enforcement, I hope you understand that this is a reminder of the consequences of your obscene actions. Extremists’ contempt for for African-Americans, for the American people, and for the Constitution of the United States is used by the enemies of freedom. Extremist behavior helps embolden our enemies, and extremist behavior directly threatens our national homeland security.

To extremists in law enforcement, understand that YOU have become the number one recruiter for terrorist groups such as ISIS. This is the damage you do.

To the good men and women in law enforcement, this is why you must WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP ALREADY, and find your voice. You must denounce extremists in the ranks of law enforcement whose only accomplishment is to undermine trust for all in the justice community, and whose actions are a direct attack on the Constitution of the United States, which you swore an oath to defend and support.

Who is ISIS?

The ISIS terrorist group stands for what it calls itself as “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).” The terrorist group also goes by the name “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),” the “Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham,”or simply “Islamic State,” and is also referred to as the pejorative name “Daesh,” which generally means “a group of bigots who impose their will on others.” The ISIS group originated as Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in 1999, and had previously pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2004. It was part of the Iraq war after the March 2003 fighting with Western forces. In January 2006, it was part of other extremist groups rationalizing their violence on a twisted interpretation of Sunni religion that formed the Mujahideen Shura Council, which proclaimed the formation of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) in October 2006. Once the Syrian Civil War started in March 2011, this “ISI” was under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at that time. The ISI sent terrorist troops into the Syrian Civil War, which called themselves the Al-Nusra Front (Jabhat an-Nuṣrah li-Ahli ash-Shām) and developed beachheads in Sunni majority areas of Syria. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sought a merger of the ISIS with Al-Nusra Fron which was then called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al-Nusra and Al-Qaead rejected the merger, which began the power struggle amongst the terrorist groups. On June 29, 2014, the ISIL declared itself a caliphate, and as of November 13, 2015, ISIS declared its version of an “Islamic” state in Iraq on October 13, 2006, claimed territory in the “Levant” including Syria on February 3, 2014, claimed territory in Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen on November 13, 2014, claimed territory in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India on January 29, 2015, claimed territory in Nigeria on March 12, 2015, and claimed territory in the North Caucasus on June 23, 2015.

ISIS was formally added to the U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) on December 17, 2004, as “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly al-Qa’ida in Iraq).”

Flag of ISIS

Flag of the Terrorist Group which calls itself "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)" — Flag of the Terrorist Group which calls itself “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)”

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