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Donald Trump appears to reference legend about killing Muslims in wake of Barcelona terror attack

This is the second time Trump has mentioned the deeply controversial story about General John Pershing, which has been widely discredited.

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(Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP and AP)

Donald Trump has seemingly referenced a highly controversial and dubious legend about killing Islamic militants with bullets drenched in pig’s blood – in the wake of the Barcelona terror attack.

The US president earlier condemned the attack, which saw a van drive through crowds in the popular tourist district Las Ramblas and cost the lives of at least 13 people and injured around 80 more.

Shortly afterwards however he sent a rather more cryptic tweet, asking people to study the actions of John Pershing, a US Army commander active 100 years ago.

General Pershing became famous for his leadership in World War I, but was governor of the Philippines’s Moro province – a mainly Muslim area – between 1909 and 1913.

So, what is Trump going on about? Well, he has referenced the legend of General “Black Jack” Pershing before – at a rally in South Carolina last year while Trump was on his campaign trail.

According to Trump back then, Pershing had managed to halt Muslim attacks in the Philippines where he was based by shooting Islamic militants with bullets dipped in pig’s blood – pork being a taboo in Muslim culture.

John J. Pershing appears in uniform at Armistice Day, 1942
General Pershing in 1942 (AP)

Trump claimed “for 25 years there wasn’t a problem” – a number he has seemingly increased to 35 in his tweet.

Trump in front of a picture of George Washington
Trump recently drew critics for his response to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville (Evan Vucci/AP)

“It was not pleasant to have to take such measures, but the prospect of going to hell instead of heaven sometimes deterred the would-be assassins,” wrote Pershing.

Pershing at the peace conference in Paris, 1919
Pershing at the Paris peace conference in 1919 (PA Archive)

Whether Trump will explain himself further, time will tell.

Watch this space.

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