John Cantlie: British journalist 'writes article' in latest issue of Isis' Dabiq magazine

John Cantlie, the British journalist taken hostage by Isis, appears to have written an article in the extremist group’s magazine in which he promotes its new currency.

Cantlie, 43, was kidnapped with US journalist James Foley in November 2012. While Foley was brutally beheaded by the group’s fighters earlier this year, Cantlie remains a hostage and has appeared in a number of propaganda videos in which he espouses the group’s beliefs and criticises Western powers.

The piece, entitled ‘Meltdown’, appears as the final article in the sixth issue of the group’s Dabiq propaganda magazine, and carries his name on the byline.

It is unclear whether the experienced journalist wrote the piece himself, was put under duress, or if his name was simply added to someone else’s work.

The relatively informal article begins by predicting the collapse of the US dollar, and goes on to argue for the benefits of using gold as currency.

It goes on to argue that Isis's decision to mint its own currency in its occupied areas in Iraq and Syria, which it calls the Islamic State, a "smart move".

The article follows seven propaganda videos which Cantlie has appeared in. While he usually appears to recite Isis’s message from behind a desk in an orange jumpsuit, the sixth video was filmed in Kobani, just miles from the Syrian border with Turkey, where Isis is battling with Kurdish defenders.

His family have repeatedly called on Isis to set him free, with Cantlie's father Paul, 80, sending a message to Isis appealing for his son's freedom. He died shortly afterwards.

Jessica Cantlie, his sister, has previously appealed for “direct contact” with the extremist militants holding him.

Dabiq is named after a Syrian town captured by the jihadis which will supposedly be the site of a future and apocalyptic battle against the Western crusaders.

It is part of the extremist group’s slick propaganda machine, which includes by a social media operation, a specially designed app, and well-crafted videos used to recruit members.

The article purportedly written by Cantlie comes after al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula warned the West to prepare for more ‘long wolf’ attacks in the latest edition of its Inspire magazine.