An Islamic State recruitment document deemed likely authentic by multiple U.S. intelligence officials suggests that IS (also known as ISIL or ISIS) has designs to build a terrorist army in Afghanistan and Pakistan and cause a war in India to incite an "end of the world."
Sarah A. Carter, an award-winning investigative reporter for the American Media Institute, reported for USA Today:
The undated document, titled "A Brief History of the Islamic State Caliphate (ISC), The Caliphate According to the Prophet," seeks to unite dozens of factions of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban into a single army of terror. It includes a never-before-seen history of the Islamic State, details chilling future battle plans, urges al-Qaeda to join the group and says the Islamic State's leader should be recognized as the sole ruler of the world’s 1 billion Muslims under a religious empire called a "caliphate."
"Accept the fact that this caliphate will survive and prosper until it takes over the entire world and beheads every last person that rebels against Allah," it proclaims. "This is the bitter truth, swallow it."
Spanning 32 pages and written in the language Urdu, the document explains that IS wants to attack U.S. soldiers withdrawing from Afghanistan as well as organize attacks against American diplomats and Pakistani officials.
The literature, which was discovered in Pakistan, also hints of "preparations" for an attack on India that would result in a "final battle" between the Muslim global community and the United States with "all its allies."
Moreover, it describes the IS strategy as focusing on harnessing powers in the Arab world. "Instead of wasting energy in a direct confrontation with the U.S., we should focus on an armed uprising in the Arab world for the establishment of the caliphate," the document reads.
Three U.S. intelligence officials--unable to publicly discuss the matter--examined the document and deemed it likely authentic.
After reviewing the document, Retired Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn called it a "red flag" worthy of attention, explaining, "[It] represents the Islamic State’s campaign plan and is something, as an intelligence officer, I would not only want to capture, but fully exploit. It lays out their intent, their goals and objectives."
The White House indicated its awareness of IS presence in Afghanistan but suggested it has not yet had a "meaningful impact" on the region.
"We are aware of the presence of ISIL-affiliated militants in Afghanistan, and we are monitoring closely to see whether their emergence will have a meaningful impact on the threat environment in the region," deputy spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council Alistair Baskey elaborated.
As it gains territory in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State is exhibiting signs of transforming itself into an actual functional state, issuing identification cards and dispersing fishing guidelines in the areas it controls.
Still, President Obama insisted earlier this month that there are "no current plans" to send more troops overseas to fight the terrorist organization.