Why are Some People Attracted to ISIS?

The Straits Times & Asia News Network

01 November 2015

The group’s establishment of a caliphate, or Islamic state, in June last year with territory under its control in Iraq and Syria means that it has achieved a status no other terrorist organisation has managed: something akin to nationhood.

This declaration of statehood received global media coverage and caught the imagination of other extremist groups worldwide – including in South-east Asia – many of which have since pledged their support to ISIS and helped spread its propaganda.

But unlike the approach of its predecessor Al-Qaeda, ISIS’ propaganda does not consist solely of spotlighting Western oppression of Muslims and exhortations to retaliate violently against the West.

… Anyone around the world who is curious about ISIS ideology can easily find a substantial digital library of material online, whatever the medium or language, says Mr Remy Mahzam, an associate research fellow at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research.

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Last updated on 13/11/2015