A kinder and gentler ISIS? Baghdadi reportedly bans gruesome beheading scenes

Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has issued an order against distributing the graphic beheading videos which the organization has become known for over the past year, London-based Arabic language daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported over the weekend. Citing an ISIS communications source, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that Baghdadi sent a letter to all of the ISIS communications offices instructing them to edit the propaganda videos to show only the beginning of the decapitation process and then jumping to the end result. According to the source, the reason for removing the more brutal portion of the videos is to 'take into account the feelings of all the Muslims and childen that are likely to find the scenes disgusting.' The source told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that some of the terrorist organizations' fighters oppose the removal of the beheading scenes, because their goal is 'to scare our enemies and not our own people,' however they ultimately acquiesced to the order. According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi there is an internal debate among Islamic State operatives whether international criticism of the group's brutal videos should be taken into account. Some believe that the group should take steps to improve its image abroad, while others believe that the group should continue to intimidate its enemies.

A kinder and gentler ISIS? Baghdadi reportedly bans gruesome beheading scenes

'Al-Quds Al-Arabi' reports that the Islamic State's leader wishes to "take into account the feelings of all the Muslims and children that are likely to find the scenes disgusting."

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