AGENCIES
CAIRO
Supporters of Islamic State mocked US President Donald Trump's decision to deny entry to citizens of seven Muslim- majority countries, saying it would fail to stop attacks in the United States and help win new militant recruits instead.
"Your decision will do nothing. Attacks will come at you from inside America, from Americans born in America with American parents and grandparents," one Islamic State supporter posted on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app.
In a move he said would help protect the United States from terrorists, Trump signed an order on Friday suspending the entry of people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 90 days. Admission of all refugees was halted for four months, and for Syrians indefinitely.
The sweeping travel curbs took effect immediately, wreaking havoc for would-be travellers with passports from the seven countries and prompting an international outcry.
Islamic State, which has been fighting military assaults on several fronts in its heartlands of northern Syria and Iraq, has made no formal comment on Trump's ban. But some sympathisers took to social media to pour scorn on immigration restrictions they said would serve Islamic State's cause.
"Trump bans Muslims from entering America and kills them in Yemen, Iraq and Syria, then threatens them ... the wretch does not know he presents an invaluable service to Islamic State," a supporter calling himself Salem al-Mosuly wrote on Twitter.
An Islamist channel on the messaging app Telegram called "Scholars of Haq", monitored by US monitoring service SITE, asked whether Trump's policies meant he was currently the best "caller to Islam" - someone who attracts new believers.
Of the first 48 users to respond, 34 answered that he was, according to SITE. SITE quoted one respondent, Abu Magrebi, as saying: "What Trump has done has clearly revealed the truth, and harsh reality behind the American government's hatred towards Muslims."
