ISIS: Rise of Terror (2016)

Plot

How does a local militia led by a former criminal transform into one of the world’s most feared terrorist organizations—a self-declared state capable of orchestrating and inspiring lethal attacks globally? ISIS: Rise of Terror uncovers the origins of the Islamic State, their objectives, and how their shocking brutality has changed the nature of warfare in the 21st century. The documentary examines pivotal historical moments, highlighting America’s eight-year conflict in Iraq through the perspectives of policymakers, generals, and intelligence officials who witnessed it firsthand. They discuss the missed chances that could have prevented ISIS’s emergence and trace its ongoing campaign of terror, featuring accounts from attack survivors and an extraordinary interview with an unrepentant ISIS fighter who rationalizes beheadings.