Daily Times

The brutality with which Islamic State (IS) operates has taken on a new level of savagery. The latest video released by the terror group shows the murder of captured Jordanian pilot, Moath al-Kasasbeh, in a manner that chills the bone. He is shown walking towards a cage, drenched in petrol, and then set on fire. His agonising screams and writhing body are in full view before he dies, scorched and unrecognisable. This is the true face of IS, a militant group that seems to have moved on from beheading its captives to burning them alive. No doubt, this is a new method of execution specifically designed to strike fear into the hearts of all who witness it. It seems the militants believe decapitations have lost their ‘novelty’, with viewers of their videos becoming desensitised to these killings. This is clearly a form of psychological warfare aimed at upping the ante on militant brutality, showing the world that the group can be more vicious than anyone could have ever imagined. The video is extremely well edited and shot with aerial views included of the devastating act. One thing we can definitely attribute to IS: it is extremely media-savvy, knowing exactly what will horrify and rile up those who watch their videos and the governments they choose to issue ultimatums to.

It is even being suspected that the video showing the final moments of Moath al-Kasasbeh was shot a month ago, soon after he was taken hostage in Syria in December. Until a few days ago, the militants were negotiating the release of Sajida al-Rishawi, a convicted would-be female suicide bomber, held by Jordanian authorities for her role in the 2005 suicide bombing of a wedding party in Amman. Just how cunning and sly is IS? It was demanding the release of al-Rishawi in exchange for the pilot when it had already killed him. IS is a threat the likes of which we have never seen before. It works solely on the principle of heightened cruelty and terror, consolidating power through the annihilation of all those who get in its way, including prisoners they use as negotiating pawns. In response to the release of this video, Jordan has sent to the gallows al-Rishawi and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, another terrorist awaiting execution. Jordan is angry, and rightly so. The people of that country are out on the streets demonstrating against this act of terror on one of their own. It is time the countries of the Middle East consolidate all efforts and intelligence gathering against the IS threat. Too many people are being killed by it in cruel and coldblooded ways. *