In a rare public appearance at Mosul, Iraq’s Great Mosque, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), now called the Islamic State, revealed an expensive wristwatch known as a symbol of the “James Bond” spirit.
Al-Baghdadi, who appeared in all-black clothing, consisting of a robe and a turban, called upon fellow Sunnis to reestablish a worldwide Islamic Caliphate. He said that fellow Muslims had a “duty that has been lost for centuries.”
“The establishment of a Caliphate is an obligation. The religion cannot be in a place unless the Shariah (Islamic Holy Law) is established,” he said. Baghdadi continued, promising that under his guidance, the Islamic State would successfully return the Muslim’s “dignity, might, rights, and leadership.”
“I am the custodian who presides over you, though I am not the best of you, so if you see that I am right, assist me. If you see that I am wrong, advise me and put me on the right track, and obey me as long as I obey God in you,” he added.
There has been much debate as to whether Baghdadi was wearing a Rolex, Sekonda, or a $6,400 dollar Omega Seamaster. The Omega watch is the one worn by Daniel Craig, the latest representative of James Bond in the British spy films.
The Iraqi government Saturday denied that the man in the video was, in fact, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They claimed that he had been injured in a military operation and that the man in the video had been an imposter. Brigadier General Saad Maan said that the footage, when analyzed, was “indisputably” not footage of him. He said that Iraqi authorities had “analyzed the footage … and found it is a farce.”
Follow Jordan on Twitter @JordanSchachtel.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.