Islamic State monsters

The Islamic State (IS) beheaded the third hostage. The victim is David Haines, a British national who was helping Syrian refugees. He was the third victim following two US journalists. As if it was not sufficient, the militant group released the video. It is a tactic to make its enemies fear about it. British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “The Islamic State is Islamic monsters, not Muslims. We will hunt down those responsible and ring them to justice no matter how long it takes.”

Haines was captured by the IS only three days after he entered Syria to help refugees with a French aid agency. He passionately helped refugees of the former Yugoslavia, protected the disabled in Libya and supervised the ceasefire in South Sudan for the past 15 years. The IS brutally killed the man who dedicated himself to help people in other countries in trouble. Whatever the cause the group may claim, it is unforgivable. It also humiliated 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.

The IS still has around 10 western hostages. Three Arabic journalists were also taken hostage. The tragedy of beheadings is likely to lead to other countries in addition to the U.S. and the U.K. The militant group has some 2,000 warriors from western countries. They might attempt a terror attack to the country where they are from. An IS militant captured by the Iraqi government troops said, “I met a person from Korea.” Korea may not be safe from the group’s terrorist attack.

Steven Pinker, a psychologist, cognitive scientist and Harvard university professor, said in his book “The Better Angles of Our Nature,” “Violence has declined over the course of history. Believe it or not, today we may be living in the most peaceful moment in our species` existence.” He wrote the “better angels” who suppress “inner demons,” which means self-control, a sense of morality, and reason, have become stronger. The establishment of a state and a legal system also contributed to reducing human violence. The beheadings of the IS are anti-humanitarian crime regressing the evolution of human nature. Human beings should work together against the ‘beheading’ crime of the IS.