Some medias have deliciously noticed a very congenial Twitter account. Fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), « Islamic State of Cat » offers pictures of mujahideen… in company of charming kittens.
This account offers abundant shots of poor kittens and their companions in misfortune, from Aleppo… to the United Kingdom. This series surfs the wave of an astonishing fondness of the web for these balls of fluff, which has been exploited by publicists. Here, a jihadist gives milk to a kitten. There, an other poses with a cat in one hand and a kalachnikov in the other. Elsewhere, some civilians are associated to the process, befriending either cats and jihadists.
The messages are particularly off the wall. Though, they are interspersed with others, dedicated to usual fights of the cause: jihadist blurb, religious references, support to battle. Failing on having enough cats… The author also offers lambs or dogs.
Cats ? Why do jihadists give a flying fuck about cats?!
Firstly, it should be wondered who is this account’s author. If he does not seem to try to bring discredit upon ISIS, he appears at least that he should be taken with a grain of salt. Some hints (a reference to Game of Thrones, a british number plate on a picture) lead to think that he might be an european supporter of jihad, probably quite young and certainly not involved in fights on the field.
If this iniative can make smile, it can either be usefull to a few things, profitable to ISIS fighters and their joyfull comrades:
- Humanizing. Those pictures help to make jihadists a human face. To balance with the whole documents showing off extreme violence, they illustrate an other reality. As pictures showing help to populations are sometimes featured. Fighters are also men. Those moments are an occasion to share some relaxation moments.
- Convincing supporters. Following on from the previous idea, those pictures can reassure supporters or candidates to jihad who might hesitate on fighters motivations. He who could be afraid of beeing plunged into absolute chaos finds here reasons to comfort him: there are fights, but there is also an other side, shared with comrades able of humor and softness.
- Occupying medias. Such pictures, gathered togeter, also allow to occupy medias. Looking for anecdotes and unexpected, journalists can find in this « Islamic state of cat » the opportunity of an article out of the wall. An article which is an occasion, once again, to repeat how talented jihadists are on the web. As much time and energy which will not be given to investigation and analysis of fighters violences and war crimes, in Syria and Irak.
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