(JNi.media) German author and politician Jürgen Todenhöfer, 75, who in 2014 visited Syria and Iraq as the first Western journalist to be allowed extensive access to ISIS-controlled territories and to return safely, has now published a book titled “Inside IS – Ten Days in the Islamic State,” in which he suggests that “the west is drastically underestimating the power of ISIS,” and declares in no uncertain terms that “the terrorists plan on killing several hundred million people,” The Express reported.
Todenhöfer writes that ISIS’ ambition is to secure atomic weapons, comparing the Islamic army to a “nuclear tsunami preparing the largest religious cleansing in history.”
Back in 2014, in a TV interview with RTL TV two days after his return to Germany, Todenhöfer said ISIS has “social welfare,” a “school system,” and even plans to provide education to girls.
On the other hand, he was most concerned by ISIS fighters’ belief that “all religions who agree with democracy have to die.” He kept hearing that ISIS wants to “conquer the world” and anyone not following their interpretation of the Koran must be killed, with the exception of the “people of the book” – Jews and Christians.
“This is the largest religious cleansing strategy that has ever been planned in human history,” Todenhöfer told RTL.
It is presumed that Todenhöfer was allowed to get into the ISIS territory because of his vociferous criticism of GW Bush’s policy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, Todenhöfer said that “this project was opposed by my family for seven months. My son ultimately accompanied me – against my will. He meant to protect me. And he filmed there.”
Todenhöfer says ISIS “are much stronger than we here believe. They now control land greater in size than the United Kingdom and are supported by an almost ecstatic enthusiasm the like of which I’ve never encountered before in a war zone. Every day hundreds of willing fighters from all over the world come.”
He thinks the beheadings “have been established as a strategy … to spread fear and terror among their enemies. This worked well — look at the capture of Mosul [which was] taken with fewer than 400 fighters! They are the most brutal and most dangerous enemy I have ever seen in my life.”
As to the rest of the world, Todenhöfer says, “I don’t see anyone who has a real chance to stop them. Only Arabs can stop IS. I came back very pessimistic.”
