Teaching to Kill: The Islamic

State's Jihad Camps for Kids

In a chilling report, a filmmaker embedded with the Islamic
State in Syria shows how the extremist jihadi group is
indoctrinating children.

'Abdullah the Belgian' and his son at an Islamic State training camp in Raqqa, Syria

In a chilling report, a filmmaker from Vice News who embedded himself for a
number of weeks with the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) in Raqqa,
Syria, shows how the extremist jihadi group is indoctrinating children to hatred
and violence (see video below).
For us, we believe that this generation of children is the generation of
the caliphate. This generation will fight the infidels and apostates, the
Americans and their allies, God willing. The right doctrine has been
implanted in these children," says an Islamic State member who is
running a training camp for children. All of them love to fight for the
building of the Islamic State and for the sake of God, he says.
Abdullah the Belgian, as he is called, travelled to Syria with his young son,
who he has brought to the camp. As the camera rolls, Abdullah crouches down
next to his son, who appeared to be about the age of six or seven.
Why do we kill the infidels? What have the infidels done? he asks his son.
Self-conscious in front of the camera, the child answers, They kill Muslims.

All the infidels? Like the infidels of Europe? his father asks him.
The infidels of Europe. All the infidels, he son answers dutifully.
The father continues, What do you want to be, a jihadist or to execute a
martyrdom [suicide] operation?
A jihadist, says the young boy.
Once more the topic returns to killing infidels. Abdullah asks his son, Why do
we kill infidels? What have the infidels done?
They kill Muslims. The boy says, looking to his father, as if to say, Did I say
the right answer?
The Islamic State has set up its childrens camp on the bank of the Euphrates
river. Cooling off during the long, hot days of Ramadan, the men of the Islamic
State, play with boys in the water. But while it may be fun and games for the
children, for the men, it is serious business.
Abu Mosa is the Islamic States press officer. Speaking to the filmmaker, he
says he lives for the war all the time. Asked about his home and family, Mosa
says, I dont go [home] at all. The family, honestly, is the least important thing.
There is a higher purpose. No one will defend the Muslims if we all sat at home
with the family.
Speaking on the banks of the river while others play, Mosa explains how the
children will be educated.
Those under 15 go to a sharia camp to learn about their creed and religion.
Those over 16, they can attend the military camp, he says.
When asked if the children participate in military operations, Mosa answers,
Yes, those who are over 16 and were previously enrolled in the camps can
participate in military operations, because Usama Ibn Zaid (the adopted son of
Mohammed) led an army when he was 17 or 18 years old against the
Romans.
Fourteen-year-old Daoud, who has just enjoyed a swim, is put in front of the
camera. In the name of God , Daoud says, Id like to join ISIS [the Islamic
State] and kill with them. Because they fight infidels and apostates.
Daoud looks to the side, perhaps at someone off camera for approval. He
continues, The Islamic State, they havent done anything wrong and God
willing they will not. We love the Islamic State.
Another child, aged nine, explains that he is going to a training camp after
Ramadan ends. When asked on what will he be training, he proudly answers,
The Russian [Kalashnikov rifle].

When asked the purpose of the training, he says, To fight the Russians,
America. The infidels.
The interviewer points out to him, You are quite young. Do you know how to
use a gun? Have you shot a gun before?
The nine-year-old answers, Yes.
At one of the many celebratory rallies held by the Islamic State in Raqqa in
honor of the groups declaration of the establishment of a new caliphate, one
can see scores of children and young boys. Waving huge Islamic State flags
prominently, the children smile and listen to testimonials given by the groups
followers. The children also stand with weapons next to adults who are similarly
armed.
The rallies serve as important recruitment opportunities for the Islamic State. There
is entertainment as well as testimonials. A man sings, Beautiful virgins are calling,
enroll me as a martyr."
Another man takes the microphone to tell his story:
I lived in Europe for 25 years, but I always wanted to go to Muslim lands. We
left our children and we left the pretty women. We said goodbye to them, we
came to the land of honor and jihad. This is where I feel at ease, 100 percent.
Tellingly, the man continues, shouting, I noticed that only the children say hello
to us, and they send us kisses from far away. When old people look at us with a
frightened look, they dont know that we are the best people on the planet. After
the prophets, come theMujahideen!
At the end of the event, the crowd is asked to pledge their allegiance to the
head of the Islamic State, the self-declared caliph, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi.
With their arms raised in a Nazi salute, children and adults recite, We pledge
allegiance to the prince of the faithful, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The crowd is
told, When I shout the Caliphate, you say established.
The crowd complies, many times.
The video ends with chilling footage of prisoners held by the Islamic State
militants, who say they are waiting to be whipped by the group. The camera
cuts to an Islamic State official who stops a man on the street to ask him if a
certain woman is his wife. When the man answers yes, the official tells him that
she must change the fabric of her veil. Explaining to the filmmaker, the official
says, So, we advise in a nice way, but those who dont obey will be forced.

ACTIVIDADES
1.- Seala los verbos en 3 persona del presente simple que aparecen en el
texto.
2.- Traduce al castellano el prrafo que est en negrita
3.- Haz un resumen en castellano de 7-8 lneas del contenido del texto.
4.- Piensa en otro ttulo en ingls que sea apropiado para el texto