How-to guide for aspiring Jihadis published by Islamic State
Online advice showing how to travel to join Islamic State fighters in Syria via the Turkish border causes security concerns in the West
Islamic State recruiters appear to have published a how-to guide for aspiring jihadis, advising them how best to reach Syria, what to pack, and how to deal with Turkish border security.
Counter-terrorism police confirmed on Wednesday they considered the publication on social media of the guide, entitled "Hijrah to the Islamic State" a threat and were seeking to remove it from the internet.
Amid an international hunt for three London schoolgirls who boarded a flight to Istanbul last week with the apparent aim of joining the militant group, the 50-page manual, circulated online this month in English, gives tips on how to successfully cross the increasingly treacherous Turkey-Syria border.
On Tuesday the Metropolitan police said it believed that Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and Amira Abase, 15, had entered Syria despite the tearful appeals of their families. The teenagers, who are thought to have been lured by jihadi propaganda, were on half-term break when they flew from Gatwick airport to Turkey, a common entry point to war-torn Syria.
The manual advises potential recruits on gender-specific travel options, the packing of "vital belongings", and suitable clothing. It denies reports of co-operation between Turkish authorities and IS militants, claiming that Ankara has only been turning a blind eye to some IS activities out of security concerns.
"It is important to know that the Turkish intelligence agencies are in no way friends of the Islamic State. They will try to imprison anyone they suspect of being members of the Islamic State," the booklet reads. "The only reason members live in Turkey in some peace is because Turkey fears revenge attacks."
