ISIS calls for jihad in Germany, targets Merkel before killing captives in latest video

Standing amidst the rubble of Syria's ancient city of Palmyra, the militants threaten Angela Merkel and vow to avenge "the blood of Muslims...spilled in Afghanistan."

By GIDEON GOREN
Updated: AUGUST 18, 2015 05:21
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) greets Israeli President Reuven Rivlin upon his arrival for a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin on May 12, 2015. (photo credit: ADAM BERRY / AFP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) greets Israeli President Reuven Rivlin upon his arrival for a meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin on May 12, 2015.
(photo credit: ADAM BERRY / AFP)
Addressing their "brothers and sisters" in their latest execution video uploaded to Youtube on Wednesday, the Islamic State for the first time turned their attention to Germany, threatening the country in its own language before apparently murdering two men believed to be Syrian regime soldiers.
Repeating the refrain that European Muslims should make their way to territories in Syria and Iraq held by the self-styled caliphate, the group's militants, standing amidst the rubble of Syria's ancient city of Palmyra, switch between German and Arabic and call on their coreligionists "to wage Jihad" in Germany and Austria, Germany's Die Welt reports.
"Slaughter each infidel," in their homes, "everywhere," the gunmen demand, before focusing personally on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and threatening to avenge "the blood of Muslims...spilled in Afghanistan," where Germany had deployed troops in support of the American led campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida and participated in counter-insurgency operations.
The two jihadists featured in the latest video were identified by German media as Abu Omer al-Almani, a German national, and Mohamed Mahmoud, also known as Abu Usamah al-Gharib, an Austrian national who was reportedly imprisoned in both Turkey and Austria for his support of al-Qaida.
Towards the end of the video, the two foreign fighters can be seen executing their captives, believed to be Syrian soldiers, with assault weapons. The execution is set to the a rap song by Abu Talha al-Almani, a German rapper, originally named Denis Cuspert, who has been featured in a number of other Islamic State propaganda videos.
On the same day that the video first appeared online Germany arrested a 21 year old Moroccan national near the southern city of Stuttgart, charging him with supporting the Islamic State. According to the investigation, the man also filed for asylum under a false identity.
The unidentified Moroccan already had a warrant out for his arrest issued by the Spanish authorities. Spanish police allege that the man had been a contact for potential jihadists en route to the Middle East.
According to Germany's Interior Minister, Thomas de Maizière, some 650 Germans have left the country to join the Islamic State.