Iraq Analyzing ’Jihadist’ Sermon Video for Authenticity

Local Editor

Iraqi forces are analyzing an online video that purports to show a brutal "jihadist" group's leader delivering a sermon in the militant-held city of Mosul, a security spokesman said on Sunday.

Lieutenant General Qassem Atta, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's security spokesman, said that, "The video is being investigated and analyzed and verified by security forces and intelligence officers."

"We have specialized analysts investigating all of this," he said.

The self-declared leader of the so-called "Islamic State [IS] spoke publicly for the first time at Mosul's Great Mosque on Friday in which he called on the world's Muslims to "obey" him as "the leader who presides over you."

The video, which if authenticated, would be the first time the "IS" leader has appeared on camera since proclaiming himself the leader of the world's Muslims.

However, Iraqi intelligence authorities insist that the individual that appears on the footage is not Baghdadi, rather identifying him as Abu Bakr al-Khatuni.

Video footage of the "ISIL" figure that was identified as Abu Bakr Baghdadi was posted on Youtube and prompted an outpouring of confused comments on social media.

Sources: News Agencies, Edited by website team