Soldiers of Allah - Monday 11 July 2016

"With a tiny hidden camera, I am going to try to show what happens ... to show what is really going on in their heads."

For six months this intrepid reporter infiltrated and secretly filmed a terrorist cell as they made plans for an attack.

"You won't see my face. You won't hear my real voice...I am a Muslim and a journalist. I can go to places that my colleagues can't."

Deep undercover, posing as a fellow follower of ISIS, he joined this group of young men who called themselves "Soldiers of Allah" and he captured it all on camera.

"I have to be careful, one mistake and I'll be found out."

Meeting in parks and fast food restaurants, they declare their hatred for anyone failing to follow their version of Islam, especially other less fanatical Muslims.

"I want to throw myself upon the infidels. I want to kill them and I want to die afterwards. I want Allah to make me a martyr." Oussama

The group sets about turning those words into action. Using guidance from an ISIS handler recently returned from Syria, they start sourcing weapons and drawing up a list of targets. The priorities: military bases and television broadcasters.

"Blood needs to run. It needs to run a lot. They have to die in their thousands." Oussama

This extraordinary film from France takes you deep inside the minds of these angry young men who have little understanding of the religion they claim to fight for.

As the planning escalates, the undercover reporter finds himself sent to rendezvous points where messages are passed hand to hand with chilling instructions to prepare for a suicide mission.

The authorities swoop and he cuts off contact, but not without one last communication from the group.

"After six months of infiltrating the group, I received a message that made the consequences clear, "you're dead".

This film starkly exposes the challenge facing authorities the world over: How to combat the threat posed by young men determined to wreak violence.

Soldiers of Allah, reported by Said Ramzy for Canal +. Presented by Sarah Ferguson, goes to air on Monday 11th July at 8.30pm EDT. It is replayed on Tuesday 12th July at 10.00am and Wednesday 13th at 11pm. It can also be seen on ABC News 24 on Saturday at 8.00pm AEST, and on ABC iview.

Background Information

INTERVIEW WITH REPORTER

Q&A with 'Soldiers of Allah' Reporter - Four Corners sent questions to the film's reporter via a third party in order to protect his identity. Read his responses. [pdf]

FURTHER READING

French journalist goes undercover with Islamic State terror cell, by Four Corners | ABC News | 11 Jul 2016 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-11/undercover-with-an-islamic-state-terror-cell/7583246

Iraqis caught in Islamic State crossfire flee to refugee camps near Mosul | ABC News | 11 Jul 2016 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-11/iraqis-caught-in-is-crossfire-flee-to-refugee-camps/7584058

Paris attacks inquiry finds multiple failings by French intelligence agencies | The Guardian | 5 Jul 2016 - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/05/paris-attacks-inquiry-multiple-failings-french-intelligence-agencies

Is ISIL embracing a new approach? | Al Jazeera | 5 Jul 2016 - http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2016/07/isil-approach-160705164835277.html

Feature: How Islamic State's impact has gone global | ABC News | 16 Mar 2016 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-16/islamic-state-isis-global-impact/7089664

AP Exclusive: Big drop in Islamic State's Twitter traffic | Fox News | 9 Jul 2016 - http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/07/09/ap-exclusive-big-drop-in-islamic-states-twitter-traffic.html

Undercover footage of ISIS terrorists reveals chilling plans to shoot down passenger planes in Europe | Mirror UK | 2 May 2016 - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/undercover-footage-isis-terrorists-reveals-7878152

IS Documents Identify Thousands Of Jihadis | Sky News | 22 Mar 2016 - http://news.sky.com/story/is-documents-identify-thousands-of-jihadis-10198557

Terror Threat To Europe 'Highest For 10 Years' | Sky News | 10 Mar 2016 - http://news.sky.com/story/terror-threat-to-europe-highest-for-10-years-10197698

Islamic State is losing in Iraq and Syria, coalition to step up pressure: US envoy l | ABC News | 6 Mar 2016 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-06/islamic-state-is-losing-us-envoy-says/7224180

Number of French Jihadist Recruits has Doubled Since 2013 | Vice | 18 Dec 2014 - https://news.vice.com/article/number-of-french-jihadist-recruits-has-doubled-since-2013

Why are so many young French people turning to jihad? | CNN | 2 Oct 2014 - http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/02/world/europe/france-jihadis-isis-syria-iraq/

LINKS

The Counter Extremism Project - A not-for-profit, non-partisan, international policy organization formed to combat the growing threat from extremist ideology. http://www.counterextremism.com/