Recently IS group leader, al-Baghdadi, who has hardly been seen at all and who has been notoriously media-shy, was filmed by his group’s propaganda team preaching at Mosul’s landmark Great Mosque of Al Nouri. Afterwards groups of men approached al-Baghdadi. One local who asked what was going on was told that the men were pledging allegiance too. “Up until now it seems that this pledge is voluntary,” the local man, who preferred not to give his name for security reasons, said. “The ball is currently in the local people’s court. But that can’t last forever,” he speculated. “Soon anyone who has not pledged loyalty will be considered an enemy,” he suggested. Al-Baghdadi’s public appearance made many of the IS group members proud and they began to tell locals openly that Mosul would be the capital of the new Islamic state they had formed. All other conquests would be launched from Mosul, they said. Whatever does happen, the IS group is certainly acting as though Mosul is their capital, especially now that their “Caliph” – al-Baghdadi – was present and that people had pledged allegiance to him.
via Niqash
all islamic, all the time – mosul set to become caliphate’s capital.
Al-Must'arib (the vocational Mossarab) 
this is so sad, the creation of this monster.
It’s not just sad… it’s damn dangerous, and a complete absurd. And still,… many in the Muslim world celebrate it as a victory. Certainly it helps revert some absurd historical situation provoked by post WWI colonialist mentality, but still, from a sociological , religious and cultural level, is a complete disaster. In any case, what can we expect? much of this has been taught from pulpits in mosques by imams formed in Riyadh, Afghanistan, Pakistan,… who have been allowed and supported to spread their venom everywhere. It’s amazing that these guys are making both Assad and the Irani Ayyatollahs appear as moderate in comparison. Because honestly… between both evils, I prefer the old ones. I ask myself how are going to deal with this in KSA, Kuwait, Qatar… also their borders can be erased, as they were drawn by the same hands.
yes you are right, Assad and his allies appears as softliners in comparison, and they are most likely happy because of that. None of the supporters of these fanatics in the Arab world seem to consider the fact that they might be overthrowed themselves by these monsters one day.
I heard yesterday that 35% of Syria is in hands of IS nowadays… what are the so called “moderate” rebels doing? will they do as Ansar al Islam and swear allegiance to the black banner too? And who will finally help the kurds?… as far as I can read battle maps, IS is circling them and cutting their further access to the Mediterranean, separating them from the rest of Syria. That is only the prelude to a campaign to end with the Rojava project, while govt. and the rest of bearded fools keep fighting each other in the rest of the country. Their time will come too, when kurds are finished, … or at least that’s how I see someone is planning things to happen. Geez,…. I hate how things are going on. And tye worst of it is that the Arab friends I know seem to prefer the strategy of the ostrich, as they are happier ignoring the facts. As if ignoring it would do anything to stop these devils… -_-