On Facebook, French IS Supporters And Fighters Urge Attacks In France And Europe.

On Facebook, French IS Supporters And Fighters Urge Attacks In France And Europe. (Memri).

The launch of the military campaign against the Islamic State (IS), in which France and Belgium have enlisted, has sparked a flurry of French-language posts by  IS supporters and fighters on the social media calling for terror attacks in Europe and particularly in France.

Before the U.S.-led coalition launched its campaign against the Islamic State, the organization concentrated its rhetoric on local enemies, while largely refraining from threatening Western countries. Following the campaign's start the the US and Western countries became the main targets[1].

On September 21, 2014, IS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-‘Adanani[2] called for retaliating against members of the international coalition, urging IS supporters worldwide to perform attacks in their countries of residence against both military and civilian targets using any means possible. He specifically identified France as a recommended target .

Al-Adnani’s call triggered online discussions among IS supporters and fighters , including most appropriately French-speakers IS operatives active on Facebook began to incite and goad their online friends and followers to follow up Al-‘Adnani's order by carrying out acts of terror against civilian targets, including women and children, in their home countries. Such threats are at unprecedented frequency levels.

Following is a selection of threats made by IS fighters or supporters in French on Facebook.

French IS Fighter: Kill Europeans "By A Martyrdom Operation Or Something Else"

Numerous IS fighters and supporters hastened to the social networks to disseminate Al-‘Adnani’s call to attack Western targets. On September 22, 2014, a French IS fighter who goes by the nickname Abu Zubayra posted the text of Al-Adnani’s call on his Facebook page adding:[3] "Sheikh Abu Muhammad Al-‘Adnani has called  for killing Europeans and particularly the French in response to the French attacks on the Islamic State, moreover according to the verses of Allah and Shari'a this act is legitimate. It could be achieved by a martyrdom operation…or something else. So for those who cannot emigrate or something, I think it's time to ask yourself the real question, are we really supporting the Muslims or are we passionate online activists (basically hypocrites)? Every person  should pose this question to himself. This is not a criticism, or anything, I am the first to ask myself this question. May Allah guide our steps and our hearts."

Abu Salman, French Fighter: "You Received The Order To Hit France, Now Go For It"

Abu Salman, a fighter for the IS, calls his Facebook followers: "So you have received the order to hit France now go for it" To this statement, Amine Meslem, a French IS supporter in France comments: "If you refuse to do it [attack], when your brothers are bombed and killed and that their blood and their riches all over [the world] has been made lawful by their enemies, then revise your religion. You are in a dangerous situation because religion cannot be established without Al Wala wal bara [doctrine of loyalty to Muslims and renouncement of non-Muslims].”

IS Supporter From Paris: "What Are We Waiting For To Besiege The Elysee"

"Zeitoun Portugal" is a French IS supporter from the Paris area. He posted this status on Facebook on August 10, 2014: "So Brothers what are we waiting for to besiege the Elysee [Palace]!? If we gather 15000 brothers, or less it doesn’t matter, we will be able to take over the Elysee and when I say take it, I don’t mean being like the homos yelling 'Israel assassins', take out the nice demonstration outfit so the girls can say ('Yay, he's my Jack Sparrow! [From the famous Pirates of the Caribbean character] No! Take your bats and your arsenal, don't fear jail anymore, and don't fear the infidels! Are you for Palestine? Be for Islam and stand up here in order to be much more than a splinter in the foot that bothers the states that attack our brothers in Iraq who are our only hope against Israel! Let's stop being weak! We are so numerous that we can make Europe an Islamic State and we avert our eyes downwards before the infidels? When will this stop?" Read the full lists of threats here.