Islamic State Structured Like A Government

The extremist group known as the Islamic State is a highly structured organization that has captured thousands of square miles of territory in Syria and Iraq.

According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, it operates like a government with a bureaucratic hierarchy.

This structure has allowed it to amass wealth, create laws and order executions, including those of two American journalists that Islamic State militants beheaded.

As the United States develops a strategy to handle the growing threat of the Islamic State — sometimes known as ISIS — the Wall Street Journal's Jason Bellini helps explain exactly how the group works. He co-reported the story with Reem Makhoul.