The Islamic State (IS) is a jihadist militant extremist organization that has been making strides in Iraq and Syria since 2014. The former known as ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, it was granted exclusive access to their operations for three weeks to Vice News journalist Medyan Dairieh, allowing viewers insight into the frightening world of this group. The documentary footage captures horrifying executions and images of men lying beheaded in the streets. IS militants patrol the streets enforcing their own religious standards, with citizens being encouraged to report anyone who transgresses these laws – even if it’s their own family members.
Preaching centers are where both young and old come together to celebrate their faith, raising guns above their heads while singing songs of triumph over America and other European countries. As IS fighters continue to expand its borders, they remain insistent that they are doing so under the will of God – despite innocent women and children lying bloodied and dying before them. Under Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, followers are expected to donate everything to him – from money to lives – accepting whatever punishments he doles out as coming from Allah himself. This fundamentalist mindset is being passed along to younger generations through Mosque services and interviews with young boys show just how eager some of them are for acts of violence or self-sacrifice in the name of what they believe is God’s will.
This extraordinary documentary offers viewers a unique opportunity to see up close exactly what is going on inside the Islamic State. It serves as a chilling reminder that extremism can take many forms; those who have seen this film have been shocked at just how quickly people can be radicalized by someone claiming divine backing for their cause. This is a must watch documentary for anyone interested in gaining an understanding of modern day terrorism and what leads people down this path towards extremism.
