Bastian Vasquez

Bastian Vasquez (9 April 1990[1] – early 2015?), also known as Abu Safiyyah,[2] was a Norwegian jihadist who made prominent appearances in propaganda videos for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[3] He is presumed to have died in January or in April/May 2015, in a non-combat infighting incident.[4]

Early activism

Born in Skien, Norway with a Chilean background, Vasquez joined the Norwegian Islamist group Profetens Ummah, reportedly recruited by Mohyeldeen Mohammad, after having converted to Islam in his teens.[5] He then joined ISIL and travelled to Syria in 2012.[3] He was due to meet in court in 2013 for having uploaded a video on YouTube, for which he was charged with making threats against the Norwegian government and the King of Norway.[2]

ISIL propagandist

In 2014 Vasquez appeared as the presenter in an ISIL propaganda video, where he is seen showing a group of captives in a building, after which the building was blown up with Vasquez seen laughing and praising Allah.[3] He also appeared in a video where he described how he and others had killed Iraqi soldiers, and where a police station was blown up.[6][7] Following the publication of the videos, he was charged under Norway's anti-terror laws and wanted through Interpol, while his bank accounts were frozen.[3][4] Although often described as having risen through the ranks in the leadership of ISIL, others have claimed that his role was limited to propaganda work.[3][4]

Vasquez is reported to have suddenly stopped all communications with people in Norway in January, or possibly in April/May 2015. He is presumed to have been killed as part of infighting in ISIL, with differing theories on the specific sequence of events.[4] Author Åsne Seierstad wrote in her book Two Sisters (October 2016) that Vasquez was executed by ISIS after he had killed the son of Arfan Bhatti, a leading figure in the Norwegian Islamist group Profetens Ummah.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "VASQUEZ, BASTIAN ALEXIS". Interpol. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Norsk islamist (24) i terrorvideo fra grensen mellom Syria og Irak". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 30 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "– Ikke livstegn fra Bastian Vasquez (25) siden januar". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 14 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Norsk IS-medlem skal ha blitt drept i krangel med sine egne". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 12 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fra Skien til ISIL". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). 2 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "Her er islamist (25) fra Skien i terrorvideo". TV 2 (in Norwegian). 30 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "PST starter etterforskning Bastian Vasquez". TV 2 (in Norwegian). 1 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Norwegian ISIS fighter 'murdered two-year-old stepson'". The Local (2016-10-21). Retrieved 2016-10-25.
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