The Islamic State has released a video threatening a terrorist attack on New York City, along with the latest issue of its glossy propaganda magazine Dabiq.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a press conference “There is no credible and specific threat against New York City,” with Police Commissioner Bill Bratton agreeing.
The video threatening New York is part of the Islamic State’s sophisticated propaganda efforts aimed at instilling fear in the hearts of its enemies and galvanizing its followers.
Many other propaganda videos are advertised in the latest issue ofDabiq. Entitled Just Terror, the issue opens by gloating over recent terrorist atrocities and threatening more.
It boasts about the terrorist attacks in Paris, the double-bombing in Beirut and the downing of a Russian plane in Sinai among other attacks.
It included a picture of what ISIS claims was the bomb used to destroy the Russian plane.
It spins terrorism in the language of a fairy story, referring to terrorists as “knights” acting to defend Muslim honor.
This issue is also striking for the high number of Islamic State propaganda videos it advertizes, a sign of increased output in that area.
Other pieces continue long running themes, including attacking the legitimacy of other Islamist factions, recounting its military victories and attacking women who oppose polygyny (men taking more than one wife) as opposing Islam.
It also includes another piece purporting to be from long-term ISIS hostage John Cantlie, who is being used by ISIS as a pet Western journalist to tout their line.
See all twelve issues of Dabiq magazine.