What is the Message in ’ISIL’s’ Latest Beheading Video?
Fatima Rida
Terror, terror, and more terror. For any viewer watching the latest beheading video by so-called "Daesh" ["ISIL"], this is probably the first thought that fills one's mind for the first few moments. It is only a while later when that person sits to reflect for a little time that he or she will come to terms of understanding that all of this is part of the message of the video; all this terror and fear is part of the psychological message that "Daesh" is trying to create or sustain in people.
Whether the extremist group is really a strong organization or not, its aim is to portray itself as being invincible in Iraq and Syria. In reality, the group is defeatable just as we have seen with previous entities in the Middle East such as "Israel", which claims to have military capabilities and support just like "Daesh" does in the region.
In an interview with Al-Ahed website, Dr. Rami Najim, a professor at the Lebanese University who specialized in image psychology, provides us with a deeper analysis of the latest "Daesh" video and the psychological meanings behind it.
The "Daesh" extremist group released its recent video on Sunday, showing the simultaneous beheadings of at least 18 men described as Syrian military personnel, and announcing the beheading of US aid worker Peter Kassig in a warning to Washington as it prepares to send more troops to Iraq.
According to Dr. Najim, through its beheading video, "Daesh" is attempting to make the "biggest impact" on all people as part of their psychological message.
"They are trying to make people afraid of them, and this is a type of propaganda," he says.
"The video is organized better and they chose the perfect timing to broadcast the video," which is part of the psychological message that "Daesh" is trying to send, he added. "They chose the words that they are trying to broadcast as well."
In comparing the recent video with previous ones, Dr. Najim said that "Daesh" is trying to broadcast well-organized videos as he referred to the latest one and said that it uses "black colours, beheaders wearing soldiers' clothing, and being well-presented."
In the latest video, "they ["Daesh"] are trying to show that they are doing well-organized actions," he pointed out.
Through this video, Dr. Najim also said that, ""Daesh" is trying to get citizens to make a link here," and that is- "that Alawites and Shiites are the targets and not others."
Compared to previous videos, Dr. Najim pointed to the fact that we see a huge number of beheaders, in an attempt to say that the "next step will be even bigger", he said.
In terms of camera use, previously, Dr. Najim said, there was the use of mobile cameras, whereas the recent video was probably produced with a professional camera.
In terms of the beheaders, they are looking straight at the camera and with confidence, he further noted.
An important difference to highlight, he said, is that previously, there wasn't that sort of "right to broadcast violence", but that is exactly what we see in the recent video by "Daesh".
Moreover, in terms of the revealing of knives and at some point, having them being pointed at the throat of hostages in the video, this is trying to say that, "We ["Daesh"] are in control", said Dr. Najim.
With the "Daesh" militants revealing their faces in the video [except for one] instead of having them covered, they are trying to show that they are "not afraid anymore and will continue", he said.
Furthermore, Dr. Naji tells us about the importance of the video's timing by saying that its release at this time relates to the message for the reason that there were two defeats: in Iraq and in Kobani.
Dr. Naji states that as the United States and the US-led coalition are carrying out a "Western invasion from the sky" and while "Daesh" is on the field, the group is attempting to send a message to the Arab world and to the West in trying to say that they "should not be in our country".
Asked how he thinks the video's message will be read by its viewers, Dr. Naji said that all societies and all people are afraid, saying that they will look at the video and see themselves in such a position as being held in the hands of "Daesh" and will try to avoid this message.
Source: Al-Ahed News
