Report: ISIS Scientists Seeking to Develop New Beheading Technology

A new report released by the State Department reveals that ISIS scientists are seeking to develop new technology that would allow them to behead more people.

Though still employing sharpened swords to remove people's heads from their bodies, the report estimates that ISIS is as close as a month away from developing the ax - a leap that could triple their decapitation speed.

"Unlike the sharpened sword, an ax would enable a member of ISIS to behead an individual with a single stroke. It would be less tiring, and he could therefore chop more heads in a day," State Department spokesman Scott Powers remarked.

Even more troubling, records obtained from a library in Mosul, Iraq show that a suspected ISIS member checked out a book about guillotines in August.

"Such a device would allow ISIS to decapitate with a simple pull of a lever. It is chilling," Powers said.

Powers also balked at discounting speculation that ISIS could someday develop a means to behead multiple people at once, for example with a modified guillotine or a giant saw.

"It does seem unlikely, but I wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility. When it comes to chopping things, these guys are definitely motivated," he said.