An Islamic war leader in the Middle East has made known his intention to attack and conquer Rome, including The Vatican, from where Pope Francis I presides over the world’s over a billion Catholics.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed leader of the recently declared Islamic State that stretches across Iraq and Syria, “has vowed to lead the conquest of Rome as he called on Muslims to immigrate to his new land to fight under its banner around the globe,” reports the UK newspaper, Telegraph.

According to the paper, Baghdadi, who holds a PhD in Islamic Studies, said Muslims were being targetted and killed from China to Indonesia. “Speaking as the first Caliph, or commander of the Islamic faithful since the dissolution of the Ottoman empire, he called on Muslims to rally to his pan-Islamic state,” the report says.

Baghdadi is reported as saying in an audio recording released on a website used by the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham: “Those who can immigrate to the Islamic State should immigrate, as immigration to the house of Islam is a duty.

“Rush O Muslims to your state. It is your state. Syria is not for Syrians and Iraq is not for Iraqis. The land is for the Muslims, all Muslims.

“This is my advice to you. If you hold to it you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills.”

•Photo shows Islamic warmonger Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Right is the flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).