14 DAY TRIAL // In an attempt to tighten their control and impose conservative measures to rid themselves of all kinds of Western influences, Iraq's Al-Qaeda threatened residents with severe punishments if they are caught wearing Americanized paraphernalia.
Gunmen controlling villages around the country warned citizens that anyone caught wearing “irreligious clothes” would be heavily punished. The instructions given by the members of the group state that men are forbidden to enlist in the country's security forces or to cooperate in any way with Iraqi security forces.
Also, women must wear the hijab at all times and men will be punished for wearing “T-shirts with prints, images or words in English, or even names of world-renowned celebrities and artists,” notes PolicyMic. All pieces of clothing that may make one think of western cultures is officially banned by the group.
After strictly proscribing women's clothing, the members of the group are now proceeding with dictating men's fashion using twisted religious guidelines. The followers of the extreme ideology are now completely taking over the locals’ lives by forbidding even the simplest freedoms.
To make sure their instructions were taken serious, armed members of the group blew up a men's clothing shop that had rather modern items and stood up as “a source of decadence forbidden by Islam.” All kinds of leaflets with “Islamic instructions” were spread around villages warning people about the consequences of their disobedience.
As if this was not enough, Al-Quaeda proceeded to banning children's games and threatening schools that did not comply with their requests of separating boys and girls in institutions. Armed forces handed out leaflets threatening parents who were considering buying their children Play Stations or any other westernized ways of spending leisure time.
One particular case of westernized attire punishment involved the setting on fire of a young man's clothes while he was still wearing them. The teenager was left with severe burns that almost caused his death, only to serve as a lesson for those disrespecting the instructions.