Salafi-Jihadis Celebrate Storming Of U.S. Capitol, Declare U.S. Democracy Impotent And Hypocritical

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In the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, as Congress was meeting to confirm Joe Biden as president, four people lost their lives in clashes with law enforcement, including a woman who was shot dead by police and three others who reportedly died in "medical emergencies."

The events were celebrated by dozens of Salafi-jihadis on Telegram, including supporters of the Islamic State (ISIS), Al-Qaeda, and the Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), who posted photos and videos of the protests. They hailed the unrest as the harbinger of the self-destruction of the U.S. and prayed for a civil war, and condemned the U.S. for its attacks on Muslim countries. Many of the reactions focused on the weakness of the U.S. and its inability to defend the seat of its government, asserting that the democratic system, which the U.S. represents, has been revealed as a sham by President Trump's tacit encouragement of the violence.

Salafi-jihadis oppose democracy in principle, viewing it as a form of polytheism infringing on Allah's exclusive authority over His creation by granting sovereignty to the people.[1]

ISIS Supporters Pray For Civil War, Declare Democracy A Farce, Predict ISIS Will One Day Invade Washington

On his Telegram channel, ISIS supporter Al-'Amm (The Uncle) posted a running commentary on the protests at the Capitol as events unfolded. As the unrest began, Al-'Amm prayed for a civil war to erupt in the U.S., destroying the country: "Oh Allah, we ask You to ignite a war in America that will destroy them completely […] Oh Allah, destroy them, disperse their gathering, dissolve their unity, and make them scattered on many paths." As Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building, Al-'Amm commented, "A beautiful beginning", later expressing hope that a protestor would be killed and civil war would ensue. While posting photos showing scenes of chaos at the Capitol, Al-'Amm could hardly contain his glee, writing: "Oh Allah, I gloat over America's misfortune forever."

After posting photos of Trump supporters in the empty Congress chambers, he commented, "Look what Allah has done to America," adding that this demonstrates the powerlessness of the U.S. and that the breakdown of order in the U.S. will impact other Western countries and West-supported Arab regimes: "Notice how America was unable to protect Congress against a few ruffians who recognize only what is in their heads. Then some despicable apostate comes to you and tells us that America knows everything and can do anything." Posting a photo showing protestors scaling the wall around the Capitol, Al-'Amm wrote: "Praise to Allah who has shown us this sight in the very home of unbelief and debauchery", adding: "Allah willing, we will see this sight as the men of the caliphate storm Washington. Do you think that is impossible? Not at all, to Allah nothing is impossible."[2]

ISIS supporter Al-'Amm posted photos of protestors scaling the Capitol wall, predicting that one day ISIS fighters will invade Washington, DC.

ISIS supporter Nahrawan wrote that the scenes of Trump supporters storming the seat of U.S. democracy showed that "the idol of democracy" is a sham. He described "so-called democracy" as a "deformed religion which the Jews and Crusaders have exported to the Muslims" in their attempt to dominate the world, adding the mocking comment: "So let the world enjoy the sight of democracy in the land of sorcery and deception, and let the idol representing liberty rejoice at the emancipation and idealism which their nations have reached."[3]

The pro-ISIS channel Jazirat Al-'Arab (The Arabian Peninsula) similarly wrote that the storming of the Capitol had exposed democracy as a mockery, and predicted that the fall of the U.S. would lead to the fall of other Western and Arab countries. Posting a photo of protestors on the steps of the Capitol, the channel wrote: "America, the symbol of democracy, tramples democracy," adding: "Democracy is a great lie which they used to make fools of people." It added: "The weakness or downfall of the head of unbelief, America, will surely be followed by the collapse and fall of the remaining Crusader statelets and the Arab regimes which collaborate with it."[4]

The pro-ISIS Jazirat Al-'Arab channel posted a photo of protestors on the steps of the Capitol with the caption "America, the symbol of democracy, tramples democracy."

ISIS supporter Hirmas posted a photo of a bare-chested Trump supporter in a horned headdress standing on the Senate podium, writing: "Here is, as they say, the greatest state in the world (America) and the most tightly secured and protected place (Congress). Here is the so-called democracy and civilization which are bestial and built on nakedness."[5]

ISIS supporter Hirmas posted a photo of a protestor on the Senate podium and mocked U.S. democracy and civilization.

Al-Qaeda Supporters Pray For The Destruction Of The U.S. And Death Of Americans As Punishment For U.S. Invasions Of Muslim Countries And Support Of Arab Dictators

Supporters of Al-Qaeda reacted similarly, praying for Allah to destroy the U.S. in retribution for its attacks on Muslim countries and denouncing the U.S. as hypocritical for espousing democracy while supporting dictatorial regimes overseas.

Canada-based pro-Al-Qaeda cleric Tariq Abdel Haleem condemned the U.S. as hypocritical for claiming to be the "nation of liberty, democracy, and law" while sending its forces to attack other countries to "force them to submit to the domination of Uncle Sam – may Allah curse him" and supporting dictators of foreign countries who "lick their shoes and the shoes of their Zionist overlords." Accusing the U.S. of having killed millions of Iraqis, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Yemenis, and mujahideen, Abdelhaleem wrote that the country deserves its current misfortune and much more.[6]

Palestinian Al-Qaeda supporter Al-Zubayr Abu Mu'adh wrote that the U.S. could soon collapse, framing the country's downfall as retribution for its alleged suppression of the Arab Spring uprisings. Abu Mu'adh wrote that 10 years after the Arab Spring began, a crisis has developed in the U.S., the country that "conspired against the Muslims' revolutions in their countries and supported its servants of our own race, so that they eliminated the revolutions of the people." While refraining from predicting that the current unrest will lead to the collapse of the U.S., Abu Mu'adh wrote that the crisis may "snowball and make them taste some of what they have made the Muslims taste with their plots," adding that in any case "America of tomorrow is not America of yesterday."[7]

Al-Qaeda supporter Warith Al-Qassam celebrated the protests at the Capitol and prayed for the destruction of the U.S. and the death of Americans: "At the beginning of their new year, Oh Allah, I ask for the year 2021 to be Hell for the Crusaders. Oh Allah, make their children orphans. Oh Allah, make their wives widows. Oh Allah, let us [slit] their throats. Oh Allah, make their blood flow like rivers. Oh Allah, make their homes into ruins and destruction. Oh Allah, destroy the Crusaders, the civilians before the soldiers."[8]

Pro-Al-Qaeda Warith Al-Qassam prayed for the destruction of the U.S. and the death of Americans.

Supporters of Syrian Jihad Celebrate Protests, Pray For Destruction Of U.S.

A few supporters of the Syrian jihad, including HTS supporters, also celebrated the protests and prayed for the U.S. to collapse in retribution for its invasions of Muslim countries. Pro-HTS journalist Muhammad 'Uthman posted a photo of a Trump supporter standing at the dais in the empty Congress forum, praying: "Oh Allah, busy them with their own [problems]. Oh Allah, make this matter good for Islam and Muslims. Oh Allah, America had invaded and occupied many countries with flimsy pretexts. Oh Allah, make it drink now from the same cup from which it made our Muslim brothers drink in Iraq and Afghanistan."[9]

Gaza-based HTS supporter Ahmad Qanitah posted a series of photos showing protestors inside the Capitol building and clashing with law enforcement, praying: "Oh Allah, hasten the demise of America which has subjected our peoples to severe torment and conspired against their revolutions and sacrifices."[10]

Gazan HTS supporter Ahmad Qanitah posted photos showing protestors inside the Capitol building, praying for the destruction of the U.S.

The Tourist in Syria channel on Telegram, a pro-jihadi channel operated by an English-speaking Westerner, similarly celebrated the unrest in the U.S., as well as the rise in COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. and U.K.. It wrote: "UK: 62000+ Record Covid19 cases in the UK with over 1000 deaths in a day. US: Trump supporters storming around the Capitol building in Washington and clash with the police causing more lockdowns and a revolutionary situation! US: Around 3700+ Covid19 deaths in one day! Me: Sipping the Syrian version of cappuccino thinking how 2 years ago, I couldn't have imagined posting this!" The channel added the hashtags #Syria #Idlib #News #alhamdulillah (praise to Allah).[11]

Syrian jihadi supporter Tourist in Syria celebrated the storming of the U.S. Capitol.