The Islamic State threatened to bomb major cities in Europe and America in a new audio statement.
According to Newsmax, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said in a 28-minute audio recording that the militants would capture major cities in Europe
"We — with Allah's help — want Paris, before Rome and Islamic Iberia," Newsmax quoted al-Adnani as saying.
The militant spokesman also threatened bombings in the cities, as well as the White House, after which Islam would rise as a new power over the world.
"(A)fter we blow up the White House, Big Ben, and the Eiffel Tower before Paris, and Rome, the Muslims will return to power, to be the vanguard and lead in every place," he said.
Al-Adnani went on to threaten Jews and Christians with death if they do not convert to Islam after their "armies are expelled from Muhammad's peninsula, from Jerusalem, and all Muslim lands." The extremist fighter also taunted the ISIS' opponents, stating that the "Crusaders are scared and weak."
The recording was released in response to the pledge of allegiance from the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram over the weekend, with whom it shares a common goal.
Boko Haram has waged a six-year insurgency in Nigeria's northeastern regions to conquer territories that it intends to turn into an Islamic caliphate, where it will rule using its hardline interpretation of Muslim sharia law. Successes prompted an expansion of the group's operations into neighbouring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. The group is now being hunted by a multinational task force composed of forces from the four affected countries as well as from Nigeria's western neighbour Benin.
Al-Adnani recognised Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau's pledge, and called Nigeria "a new door opened by Allah". He urged the Islamic State's sympathisers to go and join Shekau's insurgency in Africa.
