“You must seem Christian”: ISIS issues camouflage guides for its western supporters

Independent

Terror group released an English-language manual telling readers how to avoid security services

Militants fighting for Isis in Syria and Iraq have issued a chilling guide advising would-be jihadis living in the West on how to avoid security services while plotting Paris-style attacks.

The 58-page English-language manual, which has been published online, tells fanatics to wear trim their beards, wear Western-style aftershave and even pretend to be Christians by wearing cross necklaces in order to avoid arousing suspicion.

The document is titled ‘Safety and Security Guidelines for Lone Wolf Mujahideen’ and explains not only how militants can avoid having a plot thwarted by Western security officials, but also suggests potential targets to attack.

“No doubt that today, at the era of the lone wolves, brothers in the West need to know some important things about safety in order to ensure success in their operations,” the document’s introduction reads.

“We thought a lot of non-Arabic speaking brothers would find it interesting and may apply it in their blessed operations,” it adds.

Suggesting militants carry out attacks on nightclubs where loud music and a lack of obvious exits could cause additional panic, the guide also explains how radicalised Muslims who are not from a Western background could to avoid making simple mistake that could out them as a terrorists.

“If you can avoid having a beard, wearing qamis [Islamic tunics], using miswak [teeth cleaning twigs] and having a booklet of dhikr [prayers and devotional acts] with you, it’s better. It is permissible for you to wear a necklace showing a Christian cross,” it explains.

“As you know, Christians – or even atheist Westerners with Christian background – wear crosses on their necklaces. But don’t wear a cross necklace if you have a Muslim name on your passport, as that may look strange,” the guide adds.

The guide is just the latest example of Isis’ English-language propaganda. Over the past year the militants have released dozens of online documents, instructing their followers on everything from how to build a bomb factory to how to cross into Syria via Turkey without being caught.