Trim beards to avoid being identified: IS manual ‘tips’ terrorists

London, January 11

A chilling Islamic State manual has emerged online in which the dreaded outfit advised would-be jihadis from West to trim their beards and wear western-style clothes to avoid being identified by security services while plotting terror attacks.

The 58-page English-language manual titled ‘Safety and Security Guidelines for Lone Wolf Mujahideen’, advises would-be lone terrorists hoping to launch an attack to trim their beards, wear aftershave and even pretend being Christian in a bid to avoid being detected by security services.

The document says: "No doubt that today, at the era of the lone wolves, brothers in the West need to know some important things about safety in order to ensure success in their operations.

“We thought a lot of non-Arabic speaking brothers would find it interesting and may apply it in their blessed operations. If you can avoid having a beard, wearing qamis (kurta), using miswak (traditional toothbrush) and having a booklet of dhikr (Islamic worship) with you, it's better.

"It is permissible for you to wear a necklace showing a Christian cross. As you know, Christians — or even atheist Westerners with Christian background — wear crosses on their necklaces.

"But do not wear a cross necklace if you have a Muslim name on your passport, as that may look strange." The advice goes on: “If you want to use perfume, don't use the oily, non-alcoholic perfume that Muslims use, instead use generic alcoholic perfume as everyone does, and if you are a man, use perfume for men."

The booklet includes suggestions for where to stash fake passports and to use nightclubs with loud music as the best place to "secretly discuss the details of an operation".

The booklet, believed to be created by an ISIS instructor, is being shared on social media. — PTI