Islamic State calls COVID-19 God's punishment for foes - tape

 

A discarded mask is seen on the ground, as the global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson - RC2NAG9P3GI2

 

CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State (IS) said the coronavirus pandemic was divine punishment for its enemies, according to an audio broadcast on Thursday, where the jihadists also vowed more attacks.

 

The person on the tape, which was posted on one of the militants' websites but could not be verified by Reuters, identified himself as IS spokesman Abu Hamzah al-Quraishi.

 

"God, by his will, sent a punishment to tyrants of this time and their followers ... which can't be seen by the naked eye," he said, in an allusion to the COVID-19 disease.

 

"Today we are pleased for this punishment of God for you."

 

It was the Sunni Muslim group's third such tape since appointing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi as new leader following the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria late last year.

 

Quraishi urged IS fighters "everywhere to prepare whatever strength they could and be as hard as they could on the enemies of God and to raid their places," according to the tape. "Don't let a single day pass without making their lives awful."

 

He gave no specific targets but mentioned countries where the group is active such as Syria and Iraq as well as western Africa.

 

IS has struggled to regroup and develop new strategy since the killing of Baghdadi. It lost its last significant piece of territory in Syria last year after already being defeated in Iraq.

 

The SITE Intelligence Group monitoring website said the tape looked authentic. "IS spokesman echoes jihadi sentiment of COVID-19 being divine punishment," it said.

 

(Reporting by Hesham Abdul Khalek, Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-29

 

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2 minutes ago, webfact said:

where the jihadists also vowed more attacks.

fine; if there is proof, then there are such things as nuclear responses

The Islamic State itself IS God's punishment!   Let's not forget how they targeted Christians while trying to build their ideal murderous Islamic state. Worst bunch of mislead fools on the planet!

bringing up an old boogyman again i see. smh.

56 minutes ago, mr mr said:

bringing up an old boogyman again i see. smh.

Time to wag the dog.

<deleted> lunatics....burn the bar stewards...

A bunch of religious hate fuelled bigoted terrorist scum see covid-19 as a punishment from god...shocker

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"Today we are pleased for this punishment of God for you."

Instead of barking... better go and take a shower.

22 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

A bunch of religious hate fuelled bigoted terrorist scum see covid-19 as a punishment from god...shocker

The craziest bit about it is that thousands of Islamists are dying too

Now I understand why Thailand has hardly been touched. It pays to keep your nose out of other peoples business.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Islamic State calls COVID-19 God's punishment for foes

Impossible. Then Iran would be a solid parking lot with no population by now.

15 minutes ago, Phil McCaverty said:

Now I understand why Thailand has hardly been touched. It pays to keep your nose out of other peoples business.

Is that why the baht is so strong too? ????

21 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

The craziest bit about it is that thousands of Islamists are dying too

Muslims kill more Muslims than any other race

1 minute ago, Matzzon said:

Impossible. Then Iran would be a solid parking lot with no population by now.

I agree.  It's despicable i can't use my Master card in Iran.

10 minutes ago, Heppinger said:

I agree.  It's despicable i can't use my Master card in Iran.

Ever tried a VISA card? ????????????

39 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

The craziest bit about it is that thousands of Islamists are dying too

The crazy bit is that anyone can believe their is a big beard in the sky inflicting punishment upon us all. And that applies to all faiths as far as I am concerned.

IS should pair up with Jerry Falwell et al crowd in USA: similar sort of evil nonsense. Falwell blamed hurricane Katrina on lesbians in New Orleans, Pat Robertson blamed 9/11 on fornicators, gays, atheists... you name it.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Islamic State calls COVID-19 God's punishment for foes

and it took them 3 months to come up with that... (committees, huh?)

 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

 "Today we are pleased for this punishment of God for you."

"Tomorrow you will beg for a vaccine made by infidels."

Feel sorry for old Nick to be honest, imagine spending eternity with these idiots

Please God, spare us this rubbisk

6 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

The crazy bit is that anyone can believe their is a big beard in the sky inflicting punishment upon us all. And that applies to all faiths as far as I am concerned.

Agree.......

 

Would be hilarious if this bloke actually caught it, mass confusion would ensue with his lot...????

That "punishment from God" is currently ravaging the Muslim states like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iran with more to come.  So I guess that Allah is very unhappy with his Muslim believers too.

7 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

The crazy bit is that anyone can believe their is a big beard in the sky inflicting punishment upon us all. And that applies to all faiths as far as I am concerned.

So Mohammed didn't really fly to heaven on a horse? Or split the moon in half ? They seem such rational people so it must be true.

43 minutes ago, 4737 Carlin said:

So Mohammed didn't really fly to heaven on a horse? Or split the moon in half ? They seem such rational people so it must be true.

No faith is any better or worse than any other. They all have zealots and bigots.

 

There is no reason to blame the vast majority of Muslims for the atrocities committed by isis than there is to blame Christians for the genocidal behaviour of nationalists during the Balkan wars...

 

Everyone is entitled to their faith, but they are not entitled to use it to justify hate nor should they expect to be taken seriously when they call natural phenomena or pandemics such as coved-19 the will of god.

Edited May 29, 20206 yr by Bluespunk

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

No faith is any better or worse than any other. They all have zealots and bigots.

Jesus- forgive them, love thy emeny. Mohammad, kill them all where ever you find them, I was made victorious by terror. Not all faiths are equal. When the founder of a religion is a zealot and a bigot it tends to have historically bad consequences as many followers take his lies litteraly.

12 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Jesus- forgive them, love thy emeny. Mohammad, kill them all where ever you find them, I was made victorious by terror. Not all faiths are equal. When the founder of a religion is a zealot and a bigot it tends to have historically bad consequences as many followers take his lies litteraly.

Most religions have a history of violence and bloodshed.
 

All are equal. 

 

Despite what some would have us believe. 

Where do they dig up this trash.  I spent a short time in Cairo and it is a beautiful city with friendly people.

4 hours ago, transam said:

Would be hilarious if this bloke actually caught it, mass confusion would ensue with his lot...????

 

we've had a number of pastors and liberate protest leaders in the usa that caught the virus.

 

ironic?  sad?  karma?  maybe.  hilarious?  nah.