ISIS shows off 80 year old militant in propaganda video

A propaganda video showing what is possibly its oldest fighter, an 80-year-old Uighur man, has been released by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Shanghaiist reported that Muhammed Amin fled China together with his wife, daughter, and four grandsons.

In an interview with another ISIS fighter, Amin, who is thought to be part of China's muslim Uighur minority, explained that his decision to join ISIS was motivated by persecution in China and the death of his son, who was killed fighting in Syria.

"I was subjected to oppression in Turkestan at the hands of the Chinese... for 60 years," Amin said, using another name for Xinjiang province. "When I saw my son killed alongside the mujahideen... I resolved to make hijrah [migration to the Islamic State]."

Amin attended terrorist training camps alongside other recruits, where he claimed to complete the course and do almost everything the others did.

The video shows Amin walking alongside other terrorists, looking through binoculars in a fighting position, and manning an artillery piece.

The video continues in a classroom, showing young Uighur recruits singing about martyrdom and issuing threatening propaganda messages to the Chinese government.

China has long claimed that its crackdown in Xinjiang province is to prevent terrorist activity.

andrewg@sph.com.sg