Somewhere in Baghdad, Iraq. This prisoner of the Iraqi army
is part of the Islamic State group. He is a violent man. He rejects the world
who does not share his ideas. Before his arrest, he was a leader. He ran a t*** cell. Sentenced to death, he waits
the application of his sentence. - Have you killed people?
- Yes. - A lot ?
- Yes. Yes, I murdered in 2006. In 2007 until 2010. I loved doing that. I was good. I could walk
next to someone, laugh with him and shoot him
a ball in the head. I was an artist,
a real one! This t*** spent ten years
in the heart of the d***. He knows the secrets
and the methods of the Islamists. - D*** was born both inside
and outside the prison. Most of the leaders were
prisoners from Abu Ghraib and Boka. In prison, we had
Koranic training and training
to war strategy. I only tell you the truth. I am sentenced to death and no one
isn't going to come and get me out of here. - What is D***’s strategy? - Propagate. Spread the ideology
of the Islamic State, around the world. And this was decided well
before the creation of D***. Before the birth of the Islamic State, everything was already written. In 2006, this d*** was recruited and trained behind the walls
from another Iraqi prison. Abu Ghraib prison, at the time in the hands
of the American army. According to sentencing him to death, this is where a part was born
strategy, of what would become, the largest organization
t*** of the world. Abu Ghraib is a symbol
for the d***s. It closed its doors in 2013. Today, the d***
want to destroy it. - This is the entrance to the cells.
On your right. For fear of reprisals, none of the site managers
dare not appear in the image. I am requested to make the visit alone. Since its closure, this is the first time that a camera
is allowed to enter. Remember. Images of Iraqi detainees
tortured by American soldiers. It was here. Humiliated, some became radicalized. Inside, nothing has changed. Dilapidated walls. 2400 prisoners were locked up, in cells like this. With his only hobby, books now dusty. The only reading
that they allowed themselves, was the Quran. The sacred book of Muslims. A little further, in a corridor, a fresco painted by a prisoner, a severed head, a d*** facing
to enemy tanks. A premonitory drawing. For this condemned to death, the Islamic State group
was born in 2006, in Iraqi prisons. For Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State group is born
in 2013 in Mosul, Iraq, when he proclaimed himself
emir of this organization. Where does the truth lie? The creation of the Islamic State group
is not due to chance. These men have a story, a strategy and a built goal
over time. My investigation begins in Syria, in Kobané. A town located on the border
of Turkey. The Islamic State group tried
during weeks, to get their hands on this city. Facing resistance
Kurdish fighters, he never succeeded.
At what price ? 600 dead, 400,000 displaced and a city in ruins. Mustafa is a Syrian Kurd. Before the war, he was a student. He survived the onslaught of those
which they call black crows. - When I walk these streets, I think of everyone who lived here. I'm sad. The walls are not
so important that that. Most important,
these are the memories, that families
and the children lost. And all because of the t***. Mustafa chooses to fight
the d***s in his own way. He helps journalists
in the field. The objective of my trip to the land
Syrians is to discover, the origin of the Islamic State group. With Mustafa I will browse
hundreds of kilometers, in a war zone. My goal, to meet
the Free Syrian Army. They are the first witnesses
of the arrival of the d***. - Hello, comrades.
- Good morning. - We are going to the front line. - How ?
- Towards the front line. - Go for it. - This road leads to Raqqa? - Yes, it leads to Raqqa
and on the way, there are still areas
held by D***. This route,
I already borrowed it in 2011. I wanted to film these demonstrations, against the dictator Bashar al-Assad. At the time, they were peaceful. Faced with repression
of the Syrian leader, an armed force was born to protect
these revolutionaries. Its name, the Free Syrian Army. In their fight, they
allied with the Islamists. The Free Syrian Army will be able
probably explain to me, how could radicals
in a few months impose itself. And end up holding a territory, as big as Britain. To meet them, with Mustafa, I will first
cross the town of Tell Abyad. A city that was ruled by
the d***s for over a year. Here, 30% of the population, would still support the men in black. It's also in this city
that on January 10, would have lost track
by Hayat Boumeddiene, Amedy Coulibaly's companion, the hostage taker
from the Hyper Cacher de Paris. - I'll show you the cage, where D*** locked up all those who
didn't follow his rules. And this before my eyes
Population. And here is this cage. The inhabitants do not dare to destroy it. This is where part of it was filmed
propaganda images of the d***, where Syrians were
locked up like cattle. - They threw people into this
cage for a day or 2, without food, without anything. They were padlocking this door. They terrorized people. They humiliated them in this cage. - How do you feel being
inside ? - I feel bad. I really don't feel well. You imagine being there,
in front of everybody ? Who deserves this?
To be punished so savagely... The majority of the population
of the city is Sunni. She gave in willingly or unwillingly, to the rules of the Islamists. This young woman, Erin,
is a friend of Mustafa. For one year,
she did not observe life, only through the mesh of his burqa. - If D*** was still here, we would have you
cut your hand with your cigarettes. Today, she enjoys her freedom. She walks with her head held high, in a city that still lives
to the rhythm of a***. - People are scared. You saw how they move away
in view of a camera? - They lived under terror. And as the attacks continue,
so they are afraid. They are all terrified. Women are circulating again
alone in the streets. But this freedom remains fragile
in a city, marked by barbarism. - This is the roundabout of death. This is where D*** slit people's throats. - After cutting off a head, they hung it here,
on these bars. - They forced families
condemned to witness this. - The children are today
imbued with this barbarity. They have surely changed. D*** made
the t***s of tomorrow. The road is long and risky
towards the Free Syrian Army. You have to cross a territory
today in the hands of the Kurds. Without their escort, no one can move around. On the road, not a living soul. The villages are deserted and the roads gutted by mines
installed at night by the d***, behind closed doors. I arrive in Aïn Issa,
a small town. Nobody on the horizon. This city was ruled ago
just a few weeks, by the Islamic State group. I decide to stop there. Maybe this ghost town, can enlighten me on
the organization of d***. Are there still the traces
of an administration? The black color dominates the facades. A sign indicates the direction, from the headquarters of the Islamic police. Mustafa observes the place, hesitate to approach
as if he still feared, to see a d*** weapon in his hand appear. On the facade is written: Islamic police in the region
from Raqqa to Aïn Issa. As long as the door is closed, there is a good chance that the place
is still trapped by mines. - Is it a cage? - Maybe. - You think we threw it
people ? - I'm not sure of it. But behind these bars,
there are probably cells. Everyone was thrown there,
even children. Aïn Issa is the last
rampart before Raqqa, the Syrian capital of d***. A strategic city. They are still trying to take it back. Every step here, recalls the crimes
committed by Islamists. Behind this door,
the temple of power. Since their escape,
it has lost its splendor. - It's their acronym. It's a good one to receive
food or bread. It's the same thing. Don't touch anything. Maybe behind these files,
there is a bomb. - That's why
you look like you're scared? - Yes, I don't want to touch it. The atmosphere is heavy. I have the feeling that the d***
still haunt the place. - Does it look like the boss's office? - It is that of the sheik or the emir. An emir who had the right to life
or death to the population. - Here, look at a poster of D***. It indicates the method
to impose Islam, their vision of Islam
To the population. How to dress
or recognize a disbeliever. Everything goes there. Rules from another age. - Come on, we have to go! The Free Syrian Army is no more
only 50 kilometers away. Hurry up. The road is not safe. A curfew prohibits all
traffic after dark. In the distance, a Kurdish observation post. Here they are women
who face the d***. To get there,
we have to wait for their green light. - Look, the comrade saw us! Armed women. A challenge to men who do not recognize
no rights to the opposite sex. These combat units
linked to the PKK, organization considered by the Union
European like t***, were still inaccessible yesterday. Today,
they are armed and trained, by France and the United States. To avoid enemy fire. They built trenches, but also hundreds
meters of tunnels. - Come on, follow me. We're going outside. Very often publicized, these women all dream
of an independent Kurdistan. - We close this so that D***
Don't spot us. As soon as there is something,
an attack, we're getting out of here to get into position. They are not far away. It's hard to imagine that
on the other side of the river, in this breathtaking landscape, hide in the shadows of the d***. Do you see this side? These are our positions. And on the other side of the river,
behind this hill. This is where D*** is located. The day after,
I will be able to meet, the Free Syrian Army, those who rubbed shoulders with the combatants
of the Islamic State group. On the road, the cars
calcined one after the other. But also hundreds of trucks
loaded with goods. Even in times of war, business never stops. - Turn that way. I see for the first time, the faded flag
of the Syrian revolution, float on these lands. And here is their basis. They are a handful of men
facing the Islamists. Their nom de guerre, the revolutionaries of Raqqa. At my arrival,
their leader seems preoccupied. A man out of nowhere
approached, a little too close to the base. Abu Saif's head is now
priced by the d***. He fears suicide attacks. - Hello, I have a request to make. This man came to ask for the right
to cross the front line. He wants to go to the occupied zone
by the Islamic State group. - You go back and forth
between Raqqa and here? - No. Here, a few meters from the enemy. Difficult to tell the difference
between the d*** and the others. - They are men like you
who allowed D*** to be there. It's your sympathy for them. - I swear.
I have nothing to do with it. - D***, do you like them? - No. - Come on, let's stop there. You have to leave now. The man doesn't get
its right of passage. - This man doesn't want to admit it,
but he's going to D***'s. They are uneducated people. And these are the ones who lost
the head that goes there. There are those who want to get married. D*** pays for their ceremony. It is for these reasons
that they are going to the enemy. This one is a D*** guy,
a loser! The Free Syrian Army lost
the power of its beginnings. After being applauded
by the demonstrators, supported by the West, she has almost fallen into oblivion. A surrounded army whose voice
no longer reaches us. They are the first to have
experienced the arrival of the d*** and at the time, the radicals
advanced masked. They had another name. Jabhat al-Nusra. - During the first fight at Tell Abyad, it was at a checkpoint. There was a group that wore
the name of Jabhat al-Nusra. And here, I am sincere with you. Me and the fighters of the time, we found them very respectful. For us, Jabhat al-Nusra, was just the name of a unit
like the others. We have never been Islamists. We just thought about defending freedom, democracy against
the power of Bashar. - How were they ?
Were they organized? - Very organized, very structured. It was impressive ! In your opinion, why did they succeed? It's thanks to that. It's really good afterwards
that we discovered, that Jabhat al-Nusra were
Al-Qaeda d***s. Jabhat al-Nusra is the branch
Al-Qaeda army in Syria. She infiltrated the revolution
Syrian since its beginnings. End 2012, during one of my shoots
in Aleppo, Syria, I filmed a peaceful demonstration, where d*** were applauded
by revolutionaries. - Jabhat al-Nusra,
may God protect you ! Most of these Syrians
were unaware of belonging, from Jabhat al-Nusra to Al-Qaeda. And out of sight,
Al-Nusra fighters, did not hesitate to distill
their ideas. A video proves it. It was filmed
by cell phone, of a former revolutionary. It was sent to me by one
of them at the risk of his life. This is the only video known to date, which shows how a d*** tries
to convince revolutionaries. For him, their salvation cannot come
as members of his clan. - First, the West
did nothing for you, since the start of the revolution. Second, you don't have
to accept anything, Jews and Westerners. You understood ? And we are here for you. We're not hurting anyone. - But still, if the West
wanted us harm, they would have closed the border
between Turkey and Syria. They would not have left
pass on the weapons. And even you would not have
could not reach Syria. - Listen to me carefully. The West is laughing at you. Westerners even deny
the existence of God. These young revolutionaries
about twenty years old, are an ideal target. So it's hard to stop
the infiltration of the d***. An unexpected strategy
will allow them to take root. Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, don't bomb them. He will concentrate his strikes
on the Free Syrian Army. - We are a people
simple and poor. Bashar al-Assad led us
with an iron fist for 40 years. They succeeded
to make fun of us. They attracted people with
money or with their ideology. I'm furious now. The Free Syrian Army is collapsing, while Al-Qaeda imposes itself
in Iraq and Syria. It's a rivalry in 2013, between two Al-Qaeda warlords, which will give birth to a new group,
The Islamic State. And this under the gaze of their leader,
A***'s number one, Ayman al-Zawahiri,
successor to Bin Laden. These two lieutenants oppose each other. The first, Mohammed al-Joulani, the leader of A*** in Syria. The second Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He was responsible
from the Iraqi branch of A***. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi wants to oust his
counterpart in Syria, Mohamed al-Joulani. Al-Joulani opposes this.
He declares this in a press release. - I, the leader of Jabhat Al-Nusra, I reiterate my allegiance
to the leader of Al-Qaeda, Al-Zawahiri, God keep him ! Disavowed by the two other leaders, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi decides
to leave Al-Qaeda. He chooses independence
and proclaimed himself the emir of the believers. So it's March 2013
as al-Baghdadi declares, the birth of the Islamic State group. - Listen to me, my brothers. According to divine law, there will be on this earth
than what is written by God. Sharia law must be applied and borders must disappear. A new flag is born. They plant it
between Iraq and Syria. But who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who emancipated himself from A***
before challenging the world? To answer this question, direction Iraq. And here is the only man who dared to help me, to enter the hometown
of the emir of the Islamic State group. - Want to know more
on al-Baghdadi? - Yes. Is Samarra his hometown? - Yes of course. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
was born in Samarra. His real name is Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim
from Samarra. - So that's his real name? Look, it's the mothers
family in the city. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi lived
in a conservative city, located 135 km from Baghdad. And here is the first mosque
where he was an imam. So far, no cameras
was not allowed to enter. - Why is the door closed? I want to pray. Hard to believe, than the one who is today
public enemy number one, started his career
behind this door. - He had an association
to teach the Quran. He taught that
to very young children. - Was that his job? - Yes, he was learning
the Quran to children. The leader of the Islamic State group, who sponsors a***
in the Middle East as in Europe, headed here a few years ago. the prayer of a few faithful. - He stood there
to make his speech. My guide knew him. He followed his preaching
and prayed alongside him. - Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,
he held at the time, an extremist speech? - At all. His speech was measured, based on the precepts of Islam, true Islam. He wasn't violent.
he was not pushing for murder. He was an educated man. How did this imam become radicalized? At the time, al-Baghdadi was a moderate. The American army,
think the opposite. In 2004, suspected
to belong to Al-Qaeda, she sends him to prison. - Why did he change
in your opinion ? - It changed when the Americans
put him in prison. I'm sure he suffered
things there. When he came out,
he was transformed. He had become violent. An extremist who pushes crime. You know everything very well
what is being done in Iraq, in Libya, in Yemen. What D*** does. The family of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
still lives in this city. Nobody here, don't dare venture into its territory
without being invited. - This is the neighborhood
of the al-Baghdadi family. It's a big tribe. It is one of the seven great
families of Samarra. To access your neighborhood, I ask for help from the Iraqi army. After hours of negotiations, the colonel of the Samara unit, agree to escort me. Tanks and armored cars, an exceptional convoy to access, in the emir's stronghold
of the Islamic State group. - Where are you ? We will arrive soon. Put yourself
in position on the road. In Samarra, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
no shortage of support. There are 1700 of them to bear the name
from his al-Badri tribe. - He failed to put
hand on his hometown, despite his powerful tribe. - He can't and God willing,
he will never be able to. Samarra is a rock
difficult to take. and moreover, we pushed back the
d*** fifteen km, east of here. We are now in the neighborhood
of the assassin al-Baghdadi. At the end of a dead end,
here is his home. - Get me a car
at the entrance to the street. And stand on the roof. - Lets' go. The house still belongs to him. And curiously, they are refugees
Iraqis who live there. - Do you know who you live with?
- At Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's house. - Where are you from ?
- We are refugees from the region. - Why are you refugees? - Because of D***. - Because of D***? And you are installed at
al-Baghdadi, the emir of Daesh. - This is compensation for you! - Al-Baghdadi destroyed our house. We live in his today. Consequence of the war waged
by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, 5 million refugees
are on the roads of exodus. Ironically,
the members of this tribe, tolerate the presence of these refugees, for a few greenbacks
per month. Inside, nothing exceptional. The Emir of the Islamic State group
shared this three-room apartment, with his wife and four children. - Before, it was empty. People offered us
something to furnish us with. Upstairs, residents
of another kind. - This is all modest. - Yes, that's the house
of al-baghdadi. A neighborhood imam who became
in a few years, one of the men
the most dangerous in the world. How to explain this rise? Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was
imprisoned in Iraq, in the same era, Saddam Hussein had just been
ousted by the Americans. And his officers, to restore
their power and reconquer the country, joined Al-Qaeda. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
spent time in prison, these former Iraqi officers. Did they help him build
The Islamic State ? To check it, I will
return to Iraq, to Tikrit. In the historic stronghold
of Saddam Hussein. His native region is located
150 kilometers from Baghdad. - I stocked up on gasoline
because there are no more on the road. I managed to convince the most
senior manager of the area, to receive me. These are the men who escort me
on the road. The road is not safe. Iraq is now in the hands
of around sixty militias. - Saddam had banned everyone
the Iraqis to go there. - But could you go there? - Impossible. I was afraid to come to Tikrit. Coming here, I would surely have
ended up dead or in a cell. And even today,
I'm afraid of everyone. Shiites, D***, checkpoints, snipers, everything! This road is real shit. At the entrance of the city,
Saddam's palace, reminds us that the heart of power
was definitely here. It is also in this region
that the American army, had succeeded in capturing Saddam Hussein. He had taken refuge among his own people. Today, some of these former
officers formed a militia. They are all grouped together
in this barracks. These people didn't join the d***. They fight them. Yasin Al-jubouri, their leader, is the most powerful man
of the region. Son of a high dignitary
of Saddam Hussein, he finances the war with his inheritance
against the Islamic State group. As tradition dictates, this graduate of a prestigious
London school, returned to his native land
to lead his troops. We leave in convoy
towards the front line. - At the time when the Americans
were in Iraq, you were fighting them? - Yes. All Sunnis in Iraq were
against the American presence. And of course, I was a resistance fighter. And I considered that all those
who supported the Americans, deserved to die. Soldiers, like civilians, deserved to die. Here the enemy was first American, before becoming the Islamic State group. - Look at my men,
they live in tents. In the rain, in the cold.
They don't move. The fighters face
to the d***. 20 kilometers of trenches, one of the largest
front lines in Iraq. And here, the leader is respected and feared. Despite the shots. His officers take
time to greet him. They saw the dust
caused by our convoy and they started shooting. We fight back. The d***s are only there
700 meters away. - Do you hear their shots? No one is safe from a shell. His officers advise him
to leave the premises. He decides to set an example
and encourage his troops, before slipping away. Without knowing if I will have
the opportunity to see him again, I decide to question him on the spot. - In 2005, when you were
member of the Resistance, you thought the situation
was going to become like this? - I suspected that one day,
we were going to have to fight A***. But I never would have thought
that he would become D***, with this striking force,
I couldn't imagine it. - But at the time, Al-Qaeda and you, you were hand in hand
to fight the Americans? - Yes but the danger
today d***, is much bigger
than that of the Americans. A colonizer ends up leaving. But D***,
these are the children of the region. Fighting them is a lot
harder and more complicated. The fighters, in the past
associated with d***, have chosen their side. Today, they must forget
that among their enemies, there is a member of their family. - You are Sunnis and you are fighting
the Sunnis in your region, of your family, of your land. - Every t***
must be fought. The d***s don't belong to any
tribe or any community. Okay, we are Sunnis
and they are Sunnis. But we paid the price
strong from this war against D***. Brothers turned enemies. The Islamic State group has succeeded
to divide the Sunnis of Iraq. Yasin dreams of liberating Mosul,
their capital. Former comrades
battle of Yasin, those who chose the opposite camp, I met them ten years ago. At the time they were fighting
under the banner of A***. Their target, the American army. We are in 2006. That day, they were traveling armed, escorted by a scout car, to avoid roadblocks from the authorities. It took a year of negotiations
to convince these d***, to agree to speak to me. The conditions were
defined in advance. Their mode of action was already
to commit a***. Like the Islamic State group. - These are trucks that transport
equipment for the American army. We, the d***s, are informed
of the time of their passage and we make sure to pulverize them. You saw ?
The fishing is good today! Former Saddam officers
and members of Al-Qaeda, united in the same fight. - There is a checkpoint.
We're turning around! Secularists and radicals
together. It was a first in
the story of the d***. Here is one of their HQ. A secret place in a house
from the village of Abu Ghraib, a few hundred meters
from the prison of the same name. As a challenge to the Americans. - I was part of the guard
Republican of Saddam Hussein, until the fall of Baghdad. I became d***, a month after the arrival of the Americans. He wanted to show me
films of their actions. These propaganda videos
were also a first in the world of d***. By broadcasting these images, their aim
was to attract funding. And new recruits
in their ranks, like the Islamic State group
Today. These men all met
at Abu Ghraib prison, or that of Boka. - When leaving prison,
what did you want me to do? That I kiss them? Should I make them some tea? If I have the strength to kill ten,
with God's help, I will eliminate 1000 of them,
even 1 million without hesitation! We're going to teach our children to shoot, because if we don't manage to win
the battle, it is they who will succeed. - What do you do to the Americans? The change of the elders
officers of Saddam Hussein, towards the d*** was on the move. This is what will allow
construction, of the Islamic State group. But why do these elders
officers of Saddam Hussein, did they join the men in black? In Tikrit, their stronghold, everyone knows the answer. But here, the golden rule, it's silence. I have a date with the only man
who agreed to talk to me about it. These are the soldiers of his tribe
who escort me to him. This is a former member
intelligence from Saddam, a now retired general. These are his old comrades
who would be today, at the head of the Islamic State group. - It is in prison that extremists, brainwashed
to Saddam's officers. He gave them religion lessons
according to their interpretation. They sharpened their hatred
against the American occupation. When they got out of prison,
they were totally radicalized. Boka prison
and that of Abu Ghraib, were the first bases
of the Islamic State group. Barely self-proclaimed emir of d***, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi frees
his former comrades in combat, remained in prison. A party is even organized
in their honor, in the middle of the Iraqi desert. The Islamic State gathers its troops, to conquer the territory
Syrian and Iraqi. The black flag sets out to conquer
from the Middle-East. Today, Baghdad lives to the rhythm
attacks by the d***. A week after my shoot, a k*** got blown up, leaving 47 dead
and around a hundred injured. Before leaving Iraq,
I'm going back to Baghdad prison. I would like to know how
the Islamic State group, managed to gain so much support, among civilian populations. What strategy did he apply? For this t***, the arab revolutions
were a godsend. - If we take the Free Syrian Army,
For example, she wasn't part of A***. The Islamic State
took advantage of revolutions. And made sure to light the fire. At the beginning, the demonstrations
were peaceful. Bashar al-Assad killed civilians. And we exploited the situation. - You mean that you have
used revolutions? - Yes, we took advantage of the fury
Population, to turn it all into war. And so, we recruited people, we financed them
and we began our actions. Today, we are not going to stop. We are all over the world,
even in America! We won't stop
as long as the caliphate, will not be established. Today, the Islamic State
exports its terror, until it hits the heart of Europe. The real losers are
the populations of the Arab world, who believed in change. And fighters like
the Syrian Abou Saif, who made a pact with the d***
before changing sides. He persists in believing in the meaning
of the word democracy. - Do you want to come with us to Raqqa? - Yes it's possible ? - Of course. I hope we arrive soon
to free the people of D***. It's hard for civilians
who still live in Raqqa. - You look depressed to me. - You mean tired? Yes, I'm tired,
but not physically. I just think of my people, to the inhabitants of Raqqa, to my country, Syria. D*** is today
around the world. We started our fight against
the dictator Bashar al-Assad, with slingshots. You know, those who serve
to catch birds. If we have more ammo,
we will take back these slingshots.
