 "US publisher launches new anti-ISIS colouring book")
With jihadist groups exploring new propaganda tools to popularise their campaign, an American publisher has come up with a new 'weapon' to counter them -- an anti-ISIS colouring book.
The anti-terrorist colouring book, which is called 'ISIS: A Culture of Evil', has a graphic depiction of the group's ruthless methods and violent outcomes, and offers a counterbalance to recruiting magazines put out by terrorist organisations.
"This isn't one of the most pleasant books our company has ever produced. But a lot of people have told us over the years they would like to see something that is just absolute, unabashed, that's truthful; that's factual and indifferent to political correctness," Wayne Bell, CEO, Really Big Colouring Books, was quoted as saying by ABC TV.
There is a warning on the cover of the colouring book stating it is not intended for children but Bell said he hopes parents will share it with their children as a teaching tool.
Black and white line sketches that make up the ISIS book show mass murders, people being tortured with sticks, acid thrown in women's faces and foreboding headlines such as "Break the rules of ISIS and you will die!!"
The counter-terror colouring book, produced by the company in St. Louis, is in contrast to flashy recruiting magazines put out by some foreign terrorist groups.
In 2010, al-Qaeda had produced and distributed a sleek online magazine called "Inspire".
The 2013 Boston Marathon terrorists are among those that authorities believe cooked up bombs using a recipe in "Inspire."
The book already has its share of critics with some military veterans panning the idea.
"That is very appalling that they've made a colouring book. Colouring I associate with joy, happiness and relaxation," Steven Brown, a 15-year army veteran, was quoted as saying by a Fox affiliate.
