[MAGHAREBIA] The group formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is distributing a map of its so-called caliphate, issuing its own "passports" and giving titles to loyalists, but the moves are being met with sarcasm and ridicule."They invent ideas that neither reason nor logic can accept," commented Samia Ben Hammouda, a 29-year-old Tunisian employee. "They issue passports while they are rejected by the international community and this shows the shallowness of their thoughts."
The "Islamic State" allegedly began issuing special passports for the caliphate last week.
"While we are searching for solutions to our economic and social problems, they have showed up with subversive and obsolete ideas," Ben Hammouda added.
Iraqi News Agency journalist Ahmed Hadi expressed a similar view: "Those riffraff believe that they are a real state and they can do anything, as evidenced by these passports.
Samer Fallah, a 25-year-old insurance company intern, said that what this organization was doing was a form of entertainment and a waste of time.
"The world is struggling for civil liberties, economic prosperity and scientific cultural progress, and they want to return us to the caliphate," he said.
Despite the lack of popular support for the ideas of ISIS, observers warned that the terror group could try to profit from the volatile security situation in the Sahel-Saharan region.
The risk of a "caliphate" in the Maghreb was very much on the table due to the fragile security situation in Tunisia, the chaos in Libya and the continuing return of fighters from Syria and Iraq, said Bacem Sendi, a journalist specialising in security issues.
"These leaders consider Tunisia and the countries of the Islamic Maghreb easily accessible because they have an active salafi jihadi base, as evidenced by the presence of about 2,400 Tunisian mujahedeen in their ranks," Sendi noted.
Caution about ISIS was required, especially after several jihadist factions in the Maghreb announced their support for the terror group, said Abdul Hamid al-Gharbi, a Tunis professor.
"The region is now living its worst security situation," he told Magharebia. "Libya was acquired by murderous Moslem militias and Tunisia faces many security challenges along with its neighbour Algeria, in addition to economic and social difficulties. This climate could revive extremism and encourages violence."
Former Tunisian General Mokhtar Ben Nacer, however, doubts the ability of the Islamic State to reach the Maghreb.
He said that the terror group could not go advance beyond the Levant and Iraq. The real threat to Tunisia, he said, was the gangs near the Libyan border.
This was also the opinion of Oussama Nabli, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering student, who pointed out the distance between the regions.
"I do not think that this organization, which is busy establishing a caliphate in the Levant and Iraq, is seriously considering transferring its battles to another area," Nabli said.
His friend Asrar Abidhi said, "Such groups do not scare Tunisians and have no place among us because we are a moderate and united people who reject all manifestations of intolerance, violence and extremism, and believe in the state and civil liberties."