CHINA TOPIX

03/28/2024 06:06:00 pm

Make CT Your Homepage

China's ISIS Store Receives a Visit From Authorities

China Has an ISIS Store

(Photo : China Cn Via Weibo) The store has an exterior of a glossy black façade, with ‘ISIS’ spelled out in large capital letters located above the it’s entrance.

ISIS, a clothing store located in the south boomtown of Shenzhen city in China, received a visit from the police earlier this month after inciting suspicions of being linked to the terrorist group, according to Wall Street Journal China.

Like Us on Facebook

The store has an exterior of a glossy black façade, with 'ISIS' spelled out in large capital letters above the store's entrance.

China is offering a decent reward for anyone who can provide information about the Islamic extremist group.  The store's signage is certainly a convenient giveaway for those seeking that incentive.

A picture of the store went viral on China's famous social site, Weibo. This prompted Shenzhen's antiterrorism task force to dedicate "a high degree of attention on the issue." The authorities have led a special team into the establishment to conduct a more thorough investigation.

Chen Hong, the store's proprietor, was quick to point out that the establishment has no connection to the Islamic state and they have been in the retailing business for almost six years.

"It must be a coincidence. Someone passed by and saw our store's name and put it online," said Chen.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur has removed all pictures of the store online, as it may affect the status of her business.

There are two branches of the store in Shenzhen and it mainly sells items that can only be used in a 'fashion emergency.' The store specializes more on branded products and apparel.

"We had been using this name for years, it's totally legal," added Chen.

The store's name is pronounced as 'Yi-si Yi-si' in Chinese, which means a 'mere token of friendship.' This interpretation is far from 'Yisilanguo', the real ISIS group's name as interpreted in Chinese.

Shenzhen police hasn't responded to the faxed request for further comments about the issue.

The Islamic State have committed a series of terrorist acts over the past few months.

The group not only initiated a siege in Paris, they also made a recent announcement about the execution of two hostages. One of the hostages was a Chinese national from Beijing.

As an international threat, these events have spurred fear among Chinese citizens.

Real Time Analytics