Coalition targets ideology of ISIS

The Associated Press
Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 12:00 a.m. | Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 12:00 a.m.

Missile system said to have shot down copter

There is evidence that ISIS has employed advanced surface-to-air missile systems in Iraq, posing a serious threat to aircraft flown by Iraqis and the American-led coalition, The New York Times reported Monday.

This month, a terrorist fired a heat-seeking missile at an Iraqi army helicopter, blowing it out of the sky. An ISIS video showed that the Mi-35M attack helicopter was downed by a Chinese-made missile launcher.

The sophisticated anti-aircraft systems, including the Chinese-made FN-6, were originally provided by Qatar to Syrian rebels.

"Based on past conflicts," said one senior American military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the missiles "are game changers out there."

Email Newsletters

KUWAIT CITY — The United States is pressing Arab nations and other allies to do more to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria's slick propaganda campaign, while a new video “starring” a hostage was released by the terrorists.

Retired Gen. John Allen, who is tasked with coordinating the U.S.-led battle against ISIS, told a gathering of coalition partners Monday in Kuwait that efforts to combat the terrorist messages are a vital pillar in the fight to defeat the group.

ISIS, which has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, embraces Twitter and YouTube.

John Cantlie, a British freelance journalist who has been held captive for two years, appears in what purports to be a news report from the Syrian city of Kobani. The video aims to dispute Western media reports; Cantlie proclaims that ISIS is mopping up Kurdish resistance.

The location of the video could not be immediately identified by independent analysts. U.S. airstrikes have destroyed ISIS positions in the city.

It is slickly produced videos such as this that alarm the coalition.

“It is only when we contest (ISIS') presence online, deny the legitimacy of the message it sends to vulnerable young people and expose (ISIS) for the un-Islamic cult of violence it really is ... that (ISIS) will truly be defeated,” Allen said.

U.S.-allied Persian Gulf nations, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, took part in the Kuwait conference, as did representatives from Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, France and Britain.

Richard Stengel, the undersecretary of State for public diplomacy, told reporters that an “information coalition” is needed to complement the military campaign.

“Whatever we do collectively on the battlefield needs to be amplified on the information battlefield,” Stengel said.

One of United Arab Emirates' top diplomats echoed the sentiments.

“We will not be able win this war against (ISIS) and terrorism, and lose the battle of public opinion,” Anwar Gargash, the minister of state for foreign affairs, told delegates. “We have to win on all fronts: on the ground and also by winning hearts and minds against terrorism.”

The United States, meanwhile, urged Kuwait and Qatar to do more to cut off private funding.

“We need to work ... to close down formal and informal sources of support,” Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in Cairo.

Details

Missile system said to have shot down copter

The sophisticated anti-aircraft systems, including the Chinese-made FN-6, were originally provided by Qatar to Syrian rebels.

"Based on past conflicts," said one senior American military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the missiles "are game changers out there."

Email Newsletters