That the Islamic State has it in for pigeons became evident last week when the radical Islamist group banned the breeding of the birds, claiming that the sight of their genitals overhead in mid-flight is an offense to Islam. Now three pigeons were forced to pay the ultimate price at the hands of IS militants. From the International Business Times:
The Islamic State (Isis) militants in Syria have reportedly executed three pigeons that it had arrested on charges of spying.
The UK-based Express reported that the pigeons belonged to an anti-Isis group. The 5 June report noted that the executions were carried out recently.
As ludicrous as the claim of spying sounds, the article notes in a sidebar that this is not the first time this accusation has been leveled:
In May, the Indian Police … arrested a “spy pigeon”, who [sic] might have been carrying a secret message from Pakistan.
The bird was found by locals in the village of Manwal, near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. The Times of India reported that the bird had strange markings on its feathers.
Later, the police officers discovered a message written in Urdu and a series of numbers.
Pathankot’s senior superintendent of police Rakesh Kaushal told Wall Street Journal India that police heard of instances of pigeons flying “with cameras” to spy on the ground.
Meanwhile, the remains of pigeons killed by the IS were reportedly placed in bags and burned.
PETA could not be reached for comment.
