On Saturday, President Francoise Hollande called the Friday the thirteenth terrorist attacks on Paris by the Islamic State an “act of war” on the same day another similar historic event took place just over 100 years ago. (RELATED: French Authorities Secure Concert Hall: 12 Freed, 118 Dead)
On November 14, 1914, the religious leader Sheikh-ul-Islam declared an Islamic holy war in Constantinople in the capitol of the Ottoman Empire on behalf of the Ottoman government. He compelled his Muslim followers to go to war against Britain, France, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro in World War I.
“Of those who go to the Jihad for the sake of happiness and salvation of the believers in God’s victory,” the sheik said in his declaration, “the lot of those who remain alive is felicity, while the rank of those who depart to the next world is martyrdom. In accordance with God’s beautiful promise, those who sacrifice their lives to give life to the truth will have honor in this world, and their latter end is paradise.”
Symbolic scheduling of terrorist attacks can range from the obvious, like national holidays to little known events, or revenge attacks to completely random dates, ForeignPolicy.com notes. (RELATED: French President Promises: ‘We Will Be Ruthless’)
For example, on September 11, 2001, many will connect that to the emergency call number 9-1-1, but according to FP the date is significant to terror networks because on the same date in 1683 the King of Poland launched a battle that turned back the attack of Muslim invaders.