Here we start with some breaking news: the first video footage of the man believed to be the leader of the ISIS, the militant group which has taken control of the large part of Syria and Iraq. This is in a serial that was posted online. But it appears to show Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi speaking in a great Mosque, ah now being, which is in Mosul. It's thought the video was filmed on Friday, and this follows reports that he may have been killed in the fighting in Iraq. Well, let's get more now from our correspondent Paul Adams who is in Baghdad.
Paul, how would we know that this is the ISIS leader and this is filmed recently?
You've good, propose a good question because certainly the a man who appears in the video is rather different from the top of the rather grainy still images that we've had of him up to now and which appeared the somewhat scrappy unshaven figure. Here we have a man who looked every inch the religious preacher with this full black beard and robes, as speaking there in the very grand surroundings of the Great Mosque of Nur al-Din, which is one of the most famous mosques in Iraq and certainly the most famous landmark in Mosul.
We've spoken to people who believe that this is indeed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, that is certainly how this video presents him, the video pre-produced by the ISIS themselves. We've spoken to an Iraqi official who is quite well acquainted with Mr. al-Baghdadi and he believes that this is him.
And it is also consistent with reports that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi did indeed address the congregation there in the mosque in Mosul yesterday. So as you say, after about 24 hours or so in which a member of fairly vague rumors about his possibly having been injured or killed in some kind of military operation have been circulating here in rather glorious technicolor would've appeared to be the ISIS reform.
Here is a man re-carved as a religious and temporal leader addressing the faithful in one of the most important mosques in the country.
Paul Adams in Baghdad, for now, many thanks.