The leader of the ISIL terrorist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, purportedly ordered all Muslims to obey him in a video released Saturday on social media.
The hitherto elusive Baghdadi, who on June 29 proclaimed a 'caliphate' straddling Syria and Iraq, made his appeal in a sermon delivered on Friday in the militant-held northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
'I am the wali (leader) who presides over you, though I am not the best of you, so if you see that I am right, assist me,' he said, wearing a black turban and robe.
'If you see that I am wrong, advise me and put me on the right track, and obey me as long as I obey God in you.'
AFP was not immediately able to confirm the authenticity of the video purportedly showing Baghdadi, of whom there were previously only two known photographs.
The video is the first ever official appearance by Baghdadi, according to Aymenn al-Tamimi, an expert on Islamist movements, though the jihadist leader may have appeared in a 2008 video under a different name.
Entities 0 Name: Baghdadi Count: 3 1 Name: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Count: 1 2 Name: Aymenn al-Tamimi Count: 1 3 Name: ISIL Count: 1 4 Name: Iraqi Count: 1 5 Name: Mosul Count: 1 6 Name: Syria Count: 1 7 Name: Iraq Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1j8MWVV Title: Islamic State leader calls on all Muslims to aid 'caliphate' Description: The leader of the Islamic State jihadist group has purportedly ordered all Muslims to obey him in a video, released on Saturday. The elusive Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who on 29 June proclaimed a "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq, made his appeal in a sermon delivered on Friday, in the militant-held northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
