Video Games Is The Reason Many Young People Have Joined ISIS [VIDEO]

Earlier on The Inquisitr, there was a report that ISIS, the terrorist organization sweeping the world as well as the United States by storm, utilized mock-up video footage of Grand Theft Auto V to appeal to the younger generations to join their cause. Most people wouldn’t have thought there would be a connection with video games and terrorism, but with all the realistic military shooters available on the market today, it would have been inevitable. It probably did not help out that certain games like Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Medal of Honor: Warfighter gave players the chance to play as named terrorist groups, something that makes Pakistan ban the game in their country.

One must question why ISIS would even think about using video games as a means to recruit potential soldiers. The answer may actually come from a special television news report.

According to a news special conducted by Sky News, they were interviewing a man by the name of Shahid Butt, a convicted terrorist. He explained in an interview how violent videos games, especially military shooters, are assisting ISIS in gaining more followers.

“You got an 8 or 9-year-old child playing those kind of violent games with heads blowing off and limbs blowing off, what kind of mentality is that kid going to have? You dehumanized that person. To go and fight in Syria is as easy as going on holiday to Disneyland. Because you’ve made it easy!”

However, Mad World News reports that several experts on the matter have since come forward to state that Shahid Butt’s analysis is ignorance which ignores several other factors. A spokesperson for the counter extremism think tank Quilliam, Ghaffar Hussain, made a very valid counter argument.

“I don’t think video games are that prominent in the radicalization process. Many people play computer games across the board, and they don’t turn into Jihadis.”

We want to know what you think about Shahid Butt’s words in which video games are increasing the numbers of members in ISIS. Could video games be a possible reason for an influx of young people joining the terrorist organization, or is this just another misunderstanding of violence in video games being lined to violence in real life? Please let us know in the comments below.

[Image via Medal of Honor: Warfighter Promotions]