Nostradamus is believed by some to have accurately predicted the rise of Napolean and Hitler as the world's first two appearances of three anti-christs.
So when the 16th century prophet predicted a "third and Final" anti-Christ, more hideous than the first two combined, coming to power on Earth before a 27-year Third World War", was he referring to ISIS?
Many researchers of the infamous French prophet, who died in 1566, are convinced he has correctly foretold the current barbaric acts being committed by ISIS in the Middle East including its recently declared bid to capture areas of Europe to fulfil its Caliphate.
One website - Nostradamus 2242 - even claims WWIII will begin this year as a result of the struggle with ISIS and the world could end in 2242 - 27 years from now.
The website lists the four-verse quatrain from which it is claimed it warns of the unfolding events in Iraq and Syria.
It said Nostradamus had been translated as saying: "He will enter wicked, unpleasant, infamous, tyrannizing over Mesopotamia.
"All friends made by the adulterous lady, land dreadful and black ofaspect."The website says: "An amazing quatrain about Iraq's ordeal and tyranny in the ongoing sectarian violence, particularly on the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion, the surging of Al-qaeda leading to the organisation of ISIS.
"ISIS' target is Mesopotamia, present day Iraq. ISIS is also the most wealthy terrorist organization in the world, thanks to its numerous contributors.
"ISIS flag and uniform, black! their combat method infamous and Islamic Sharia law - tyrannical."Other Nostradamus quatrains are said to predict a war with Europe.
Some psychics have claimed more Nostradamus and psychic researchers were beginning to believe this quatrain does, indeed, relate to ISIS.
It said on its website: "There has been much interest in whether Nostradamus had anything to say about ISIS. There are many people speculating about whether ISIS would start the next world war, and whether its leader is the Antichrist that Nostradamus warned against."
But the problem is many earlier interpretations of other Nostradamus quatrains said WWIII would begin around 1999.
From this, and with so many tyrants to choose from in the Middle East, Nostradamus researchers had already identified the likes of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden as being the third and final anti-Christ.
Spiritualists on Psychiclessons.com wrote: "While this hasn’t been the first time that people have speculated about a person being the dreaded Antichrist, there certainly seems to be a lot more interest in today’s current events among Nostradamus scholars. Time will tell whether the French seer was right about this one."
This problem with dates has led some Nostradamus researchers to conclude we are already in a WWIII, which some how started in 1999, and should therefore come to an horrific conclusion, "probably involving nuclear weapons", in 2026.
Nostradamus is also claimed by some to have correctly predicted the Twin Towers attacks of 9/11 with the line: "The year 1999 seven months, from the sky will come the great King of Terror", prompting Bin Laden's brief holder of the third Antichrist title, despite it being around two years out.
Reports suggest ISIS has managed to obtain 40kg of uranium from the University of al-Mosul when it occupied the Iraq city, and have declared wanting to take over Spain, Greece and most of the Balkans.
There is reportedly mention of Russia (Ukraine War) in the Nostradamus verses and some have linked ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as suspect number one for being Antichrist 3.
One online commentator pointed out how ISIS were so much more tyrannical than others before them because of the barbaric executions and beheadings that led even fanatical Al-qaeda to distance itself from the fellow terrorists.
Author John Hogue, described on his website as "a world authority on Nostradamus and the prophetic traditions of the world" believes Nostradamus did predict ISIS. He says Nostradamus predicted the US interventions in Iraq.
Nostradamus is also claimed by some to have correctly predicted the Twin Towers attacks of 9/11 with the line: "The year 1999 seven months, from the sky will come the great King of Terror", prompting Bin Laden's brief holder of the third Antichrist title, despite it being around two years out.
Reports suggest ISIS has managed to obtain 40kg of uranium from the University of al-Mosul when it occupied the Iraq city, and have declared wanting to take over Spain, Greece and most of the Balkans.
There is reportedly mention of Russia (Ukraine War) in the Nostradamus verses and some have linked ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as suspect number one for being Antichrist 3.
One online commentator pointed out how ISIS were so much more tyrannical than others before them because of the barbaric executions and beheadings that led even fanatical Al-qaeda to distance itself from the fellow terrorists.
Author John Hogue, described on his website as "a world authority on Nostradamus and the prophetic traditions of the world" believes Nostradamus did predict ISIS. He says Nostradamus predicted the US interventions in Iraq.
He said: "Let’s fast “foreword” back to that future foreseen four-and-a half centuries ago, when Nostradamus predicted a modern “crusader” army would occupy Mesopotamia (Iraq) and then foretold the outcome.
"Century 3, Quatrain 61 of Les Propheties (The Prophecies) reads: "The great host and sect of cross bearers [crusaders], Will be massed in Mesopotamia [Iraq].He claimed to have always known it was a mistake to label dictator Hussain as the third Antichrist.
"Of the nearby river [the Euphrates] the fast company, that such a law will hold for the enemy."
He added: "Nostradamus’ quatrains are clearer as we draw close to the events and details cloaked in their codes and riddles.
"Nostradamians during the Saddam Hussein era made a mistake I often exposed.
"They incorrectly defined who line one’s “He” was as being Saddam Hussein."
Even YouTube is now awash with armchair Nostradamus analysers theorising on his Isis prediction.
But sceptics of Nostradamus point out that at least 50 per cent of his premonitions were so way off that even the die hard researchers leave them alone.
Of the 50 per cent that he is said to have got right, there are many that believe the vague terminology used by the French "prophet, and so-called Nostradamus codes need a strong dose of hindsight and imagination to prove the prophecy after the event.
They also argue with so much conflict in the Middle East it is easy to link any one of them to the verses and when looked at together then don't add up with todays ISIS events or earlier ones.
According to some Nostradamus researchers, he explained a "King of Terror", wearing a blue turban, would rise to power from Greater Arabia during the late 1990s, wage war around the world.
They interpret him saying the "King of Terror" would form an alliance with Russia to wage war on the US and Europe, starting with a nuclear strike on New York City.
Others say he predicts that the "King of Terror" will be defeated after 27 years, with a 1,000 years of peace before the world ends.
One researcher is not convined, he said: "I was doing a little research into Nostradamus, when, lo and behold, he predicted both the US war in Iraq as well as ISIS.
"By using the same techniques as those who find miracles in the Quran or Bible, "researchers" have done the exact same thing with Nostradamus."To be clear, I don't believe such nonsense, since all Nostradamus did was write a whole bunch of cryptic things and then let the reader use their imagination to interpret verses to suit their own beliefs
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By Jon Austin, Sunday Express