He Lost His Head?

Denis Cuspert, also known by stage name Deso Dogg, was a German hip-hop artist before becoming affiliated with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). He made propaganda videos for the group, including a 2014 video where he showed off a severed head for the camera and encouraged other Western youth to join him. He was designated as a “global terrorist” by the US State Department in 2015.

Now the reports vary on Denis' death.  While someone who knew Denis personally from his rapping days says that a released photograph, does indeed hold many of the characteristics that they associated with Denis, at this time that is really the only "proof" we have.  Further, it is very uncommon for extremeists to actually show photographs of their fallen.

Denis Cuspert, 41, was a high-profile hip-hop artist known as Deso Dogg before turning to jihadism

CREDIT: DI MATTI/DPA

While we may be all hoping that this insane man is indeed dead, his death has be reported before falsely, which is common among terrorists to throw off investigators. He was reportedly killed by an airstrike in Deir Ezzor, a province in eastern Syria where Isil still has small pockets of control.


There was no independent confirmation of Cuspert’s death from the US-led coalition and Western security services have long warned that foreign fighters might try to fake their deaths to throw investigators off their trail.

 If Cuspert is truly dead, his killing marks the end of one of Isil’s most colourful and charismatic Western jihadists.