The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has reportedly released a new audio recording warning Americans that “you will not feel secure even in your bedrooms,” and directly addressing President Barack Obama as “more foolish” than former President George W. Bush.
NBC News has not verified the recording. The statement was purportedly made by Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, a spokesman for ISIS. In the recording, the terrorist group refers to Obama as “vile,” according to a translation by Flashpoint Partners.
The 42-minute recording appeared to mock the United States’ decision not to send ground troops to the region, and warned Americans and Europeans that “you will pay the price as you walk on your streets, turning left and right, fearing the Muslims.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey last week acknowledged that sending U.S. ground troops into Iraq isn’t out of the question. But Obama has insisted that U.S. troops won’t have a combat role in Iraq.
French Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve responded to the recording in a press conference Monday, saying that his country “is not afraid” and will respond to jihadist threats. France was the first ally to join the United States in launching airstrikes last week in Iraq against ISIS militants.
Also last week, ISIS released a propaganda video in which members of the terror group appear to threaten the U.S. government and troops. The video included gun battles, explosions and footage of Obama.
Congress recently approved of Obama’s plan to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels to go after ISIS. The U.S. military has carried out at least 170 airstrikes in Iraq.
“Our national security imperative is to go after ISIL and to degrade and destroy it over time. And the moderate opposition now will have greater capabilities to do that, thanks to an overwhelming bipartisan vote in Congress to support that,” UN Ambassador Samantha Power said Sunday on “Meet the Press,” using an interchangeable term, ISIL, for the militant group.
The president is expected to address the threat of ISIS in a speech to the United Nation’s General Assembly Wednesday in New York. He will also lead a UN Security Council discussion on ISIS and foreign fighters.
Michele Richinick