New ISIS Video Shows French-Speaking Militant Executing Alleged Apostates, Spies In Iraq; Threatens The West

A new video released late Saturday by the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, purportedly shows a French-speaking militant executing alleged apostates and spies in Iraq. The militant also reportedly threatened attacks against Western countries.

The video, which was posted on several jihadi websites, shows young men admitting to have acted against ISIS militants before being shot dead in an execution style, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The video was produced by the ISIS media office in Iraq’s Nineveh province and was reportedly made after the Nov. 13, 2015, Paris attacks that were claimed by ISIS. France intensified its airstrikes against the extremist group following the attacks on the French capital that killed 130 people.

In the eight-minute video, the French-speaking militant, who is seen wearing a beige mask and carrying a handgun, brands the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq “imbecile miscreants” and warns that the efforts by Western nations will fail to destroy the group, AFP reported.

The militant also vowed that ISIS will conduct more deadly attacks against the West, AFP reported. Among the Western nations, the militant made a reference to Spain, saying that the country will “pay dearly” for having crushed Muslim rule in ancient Andalusia — more than 500 years ago.

At the end of the video, the French-speaking militant and other ISIS fighters shoot dead five men wearing orange jumpsuits, AFP reported, adding that it is believed that the purported executions took place in the ruins of a building that was destroyed in an airstrike against ISIS.

According to reports, at least 1,000 French nationals have joined ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

This is not the first time a French-speaking militant has been seen in an ISIS video. Following the Paris attacks, ISIS released a video threatening France with fresh attacks. In the video, a balaclava-clad militant speaks in fluent French, charging French President François Hollande with declaring a war that he cannot win.

“We will be coming, we will come to crush your country,” the militant, carrying a rifle, reportedly said. The video was released just a day after the extremist group reportedly released a video showing the Eiffel Tower crumbling, titled “Paris Has Collapsed.” The footage was taken from a 2009 action movie.

The authenticity of the videos, however, has not been confirmed.