INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

ISIS Beheading: Celebrating Valentine’s Day Might Mean Death, Extremists Warn

By Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Published on: 14:56 PST, Feb 13, 2017

Another ISIS beheading has taken place, but, this time, it does not involve any living creature. Instead, a teddy bear was beheaded to send a message to those who intend to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

A ISIS leader in northern Iraq warned his followers about celebrating Valentine’s Day. The warning was issued while he delivered a religion sermon. In a similar fashion, the ISIS leader beheaded a teddy bear. The incident took place inside a mosque in Mosul. He referred to Valentine’s Day as the “Sin Day.” Beheading a teddy bear is a symbolic gesture, since couples gift teddy bears to each other on this day as a romantic gesture to celebrate love and warmth. The ISIS leader warned that people would face the same consequences, if they attempted to celebrate the day.

Iraqis shop at a Valentine’s Day gift shop on February 14, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq. [Image by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images]

Releasing the ISIS beheading video was not the only way the terrorist group intends to warn people about Valentine’s Day. According to local sources in Iraq, ISIS extremists have banned red-colored clothes. Even children are not allowed to wear red clothes on this day. It is believed that the ban on red clothes comes as a preventive measure to stop people from celebrating the day of love. It is also feared that the group might take violent steps against those who violate its instructions.

Here is another ISIS beheading video which comes with a Valentine’s Day message from the terrorist group. There have been real beheading videos circulated on social media. Censored versions of such videos have also been used on news networks. In 2015, the followers of the extremist organization released a disturbing video that featured a child dressed as an extremist soldier.

The pre-school child beheads a teddy bear with a hunting knife. The video, released on Sunday, is meant to serve as a warning on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. The child enters a room that has a ISIS flag on the wall. With Islamic religious music in the background, the child starts beheading the teddy bear. When he stops during the act, the man behind the camera says “Takbir.” The child smiles and finishes off the act, apparently encouraged by the word that is the Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar,” which means “Allah (God) is the greatest.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1l3m0ZNh8I

In the ISIS beheading video, the child holds the knife high after completely beheading the teddy bear. The man behind the camera chants, “”Allahu Akbar.” The video is a grave warning against those who intend to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The terrorist organization considers it a Christian tradition and strictly discourages all Muslims against following it. The day is celebrated all over the world as a day to celebrate romantic love. According to The Jerusalem Post, ISIS has been recruiting child soldiers, like the one in the video, and uses them in its propaganda videos. The extremist group calls them as the “cubs of the caliphate.”

Hindu right wing organization Shiv Sena (Army of Hindu god Shiva), leads protestors in a demonstration against Valentines Day celebrations February 13, 2002 in New Delhi, India. [Image by Bivas Banerjee/Saab Press/Getty Images]

Islamic groups like ISIS are not the only ones to threaten strict actions against those who celebrate Valentine’s Day. A Hindu right wing group in India, Bajrang Dal, has been demanding a ban on the celebration of the day. According to the religious group, the day promotes Western culture and “corrupts” the traditions of the religion. Interestingly, even ISIS makes the same claim about the day. According to India Today, Bajrang Dal has warned couples that they would be forced to marry each other, if they are seen celebrating the day in public. In the past, the group has found various ways to harass young couples in public on Valentine’s Day.

[Featured image by Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo]

Share this article: ISIS Beheading: Celebrating Valentine’s Day Might Mean Death, Extremists Warn
Valentine's Day
More from Inquisitr