Image grab taken from the video 'From Inside Mosul'
The Islamic State (IS) has released the seventh video of British journalist John Cantlie who was taken hostage along with American journalist James Foley in November 2012.
The latest video 'From Inside Mosul', released by the IS media wing Al-Hayat media center shows John Cantlie 'reporting' of the normalcy in Mosul, Iraq which is the groups stonghold. He is seen driving through the city in a car, walking down crowded streets, shopping in a local souk, visiting a children's ward and riding a police motorcycle.
In the video,he clearly mentions at least part of the video was shot in December and criticises a 27th October Guardian report which reported 'prices have gone up sharply and people have no money.' Cantlie walks through a busy market and points to neon signs as an 'example' of false western reporting on no electricity. Cantlie has been a hostage of the IS and all seven of his 'reports' are seen as being made under duress, though his sister in the UK has been quoted as saying he believes 2/3rd of what he says.
This is the second video out of the seven released in which John Cantlie is out in a city. The five other videos have been in dark rooms. In the last video he 'reported' from Kobane, a city that has been under siege for months with Syrian and Iraqi kurds holding off the IS attacks. The US led coalition has also conducted nearly 500 airstrikes to help in the defence of Kobane. Mosul, though remains in the firm grip of the self-styled caliphate since its capture in June 2014.
Cantlie describes Mosul as 'top of the world' and life as being 'business as usual after years of oppression.' Sunni muslims, he says, 'can walk the streets without fear of shia oppression. In a local 'souk' or market he claims, 'it's so normal, crazy and busy. This is not a city living under fear.'
Cantlie is also shown sarcastically telling what seems to be a western drone or aircraft in the sky that it's 'useless'. 'Here! Here! Over here! You've come to rescue me again? Do something! Useless! Absolutely useless!, ' he is filmed shouting. In a bid to show healthcare has not been hit, he is shown with babies in a hospital ward. He claims they are being treated for trauma after western bombs fell near their homes. He is also filmed getting out of a police car and riding a police motorcycle with what seems to be a policeman in the 'I.S' group's trademark black clothing. In fact, he claims the police are 'redundant' because there's 'very little crime being committed'.
Cantlie ends in what he says is a media centre with his last video in Kobane playing in a big screen behind him. He finishes by saying, 'from Kobane to Mosul--shows how much territory the IS is holding.' The latest video posted on Youtube has been repeatedly taken down--but the IS group has posted it on various jihadi websites and other social media platforms as well.