Till now, there has been only a few unclear pictures of Islamic State's Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But the leader made his first public appearance in Mosul last Friday, and is seen dressed in black turban and cloak, leading the day's prayers.
After living in the shadows and controling the black flag waving group from his hideouts, al-Baghdadi, who now calls himself Caliph Ibrahim, finally revealed himself. A video of the leader has been leaked online.
al-Baghdadi is currently one of the most wanted terrorists in the world, with a bounty of $10 million on his head or on anyone giving any information leading to his arrest.
But on Friday, leading a gathering of faithful Muslims, consisting of both ISIS militants and local sympathizers, he held the first Jumma prayers since the start of Ramadan last Sunday.
It should also be noted that it was on Sunday, which was the start of Ramadan, that al-Baghdadi had announced the caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
At the start of the sermon itself, al-Baghdadi made it clear that the ISIS fighters were going to intensify its offensive in Iraq.
"Take advantage of this noble month, O worshipper of Allah! Fight therein. This is the month in which the Prophet commanded armies to fight against the enemies of Allah. The month in which he would wage jihad against the polytheists! So fear Allah, O slaves of Allah," he told those present.
Asserting his position as the new Caliph of the Muslims all over the world, he said: "Obey me as I obey God."
"If you want security, respect God. If you want a livelihood, respect God. And if you want an honorable life, fight jihad in the name of God."
"Do jihad in the cause of Allah, incite the believers and be patient in the face of this hardship. If you knew about the reward and dignity in this world and the hereafter through jihad, then none of you would delay in doing it (read his full speech here).
The public appearance by al-Baghdadi is a sign that the group seriously wants to consolidate its position among other Islamic fighters. Recently, certain fighters in Syria had raised questions on al-Baghdadi's identity and had promised that they would join with the ISIS, if he revealed himself in public.
Even intelligence agencies only has limited information on al-Baghdadi, and even his real nationality is not yet known. He even used go for secret meetings with his face covered, for the fear of being revealed by a spy.
