WASHINGTON —聽A Virginia state senator just 聽found out he’s an enemy of the Islamic State ( ISIS), but 聽he’s not intimidated.
“I got a call from the Capitol Police on March 30, and they told me that ISIS has put me on their enemies list,”聽says聽Virginia State Senator Richard Black (R-13th).聽 Black represents parts of Loudoun and Prince William Counties.
He says聽it’s no secret he’s been very outspoken about American policies in Syria. “We are training rebels to topple the Syrian government.聽 Now if we do that, we create a vacuum that will certainly be filled with ISIS or Al Qaeda.聽 And that will be an absolute disaster for the United States.”
The聽83-page online ISIS magazine “Dabiq”聽聽referenced Black as “The Enemy” and “The American 聽 聽Crusader.”
Black said聽he was quoted extensively. 聽“I think what they are saying is that this聽is somebody who understands exactly what聽we’re (ISIS)聽trying to accomplish.”
Also listed as enemies in the magazine are former presidential hopeful聽Rick Santorum, and a former 聽 CIA official.
Black聽says聽this is about intimidation. “I don’t intend to let them silence critics, at least not this one.”聽聽He says聽that won’t stop him from speaking out about the terrorist group.聽聽Black says it’s critical that Americans continue to speak out and聽continue to hold their ground. 鈥淲e cannot be silenced聽by terrorists.”
He believes the information in the ISIS magazine聽had been widely circulated among intelligence sources, and that Capitol Police were just giving him a heads up. He’s more concerned,聽however, with聽聽the targeting of American soldiers and their families.聽 Also he says he feels solidarity with innocent Muslims and Christians that are being persecuted on a daily basis by ISIS.
During the Vietnam war, Black fought with the 1st Marine Regiment and was wounded in combat.聽 He also was a chopper pilot during the war,聽flying 269 missions.
