Former Infowars Employee Reveals Alex Jones Faked ISIS Beheading Video

New book details how Jones staged a phony border crossing and beheading to spread conspiracy theories.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:41pm

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An extreme close-up of a severed head prop, its gruesome details starkly illuminated by a harsh flash against a dark background, conceptually representing the fabrication of a false news story.A staged prop used to fabricate a false narrative of an ISIS beheading exposes the depths of Infowars' deception.Juarez Today

A former Infowars video editor, Josh Owens, has revealed in a new book that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones once faked a beheading video by dressing a reporter in ISIS garb and filming a staged border crossing and simulated execution. Owens said Jones wanted to capitalize on right-wing claims of an ISIS training base in Mexico, but when no evidence was found, the Infowars team was ordered to create the fictional video, which went on to receive millions of views on social media.

Why it matters

This revelation further undermines the credibility of Alex Jones and Infowars, which have a long history of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories. It highlights the lengths Jones was willing to go to manufacture content that would generate outrage and views, even if it meant completely fabricating a news story.

The details

According to Owens, he spent four years as a video editor at Infowars, where he witnessed Jones' efforts to make content look 'cinematic' and 'like Vice News' despite it being 'nonsense' and 'lies.' In one instance, when Jones wanted to capitalize on claims of an ISIS training base in Juarez, Mexico, Owens and the Infowars team were ordered to dress a reporter in ISIS garb, film him crossing a fake border, and carry a severed-head prop to simulate a beheading. This fictional video was then posted online and received millions of views.

  • In 2026, former Infowars employee Josh Owens published a memoir detailing his time working for Alex Jones.
  • The faked ISIS beheading video was created and posted online several years prior to Owens' book.

The players

Alex Jones

The founder and host of the far-right conspiracy theory website Infowars, known for spreading misinformation and false narratives.

Josh Owens

A former video editor who worked at Infowars for four years and has now published a memoir exposing Jones' practices of fabricating news content.

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What they’re saying

“In Jones' world, it was all about making things look cinematic. We would go out there, we would shoot videos and almost like Vice News — like, we were in the weeds, we were showing what was really going on. ... But it was nonsense, it was lies.”

— Josh Owens, Former Infowars Video Editor

“I remember sitting there watching her, and it sounds so cheesy, but it was just this moment of like ... these people didn't do anything. There's no reason for suspicion; it's just racism.”

— Josh Owens, Former Infowars Video Editor

What’s next

The revelations in Owens' book are likely to face further scrutiny and investigation, as they raise serious questions about the journalistic integrity and ethics of Infowars and Alex Jones. It remains to be seen if this will lead to any legal consequences or changes in how Jones and his organization operate.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the dangers of the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, especially when they are amplified by influential figures like Alex Jones. It underscores the need for greater accountability and transparency in the media landscape to prevent the manufacturing of false narratives that can have real-world impacts.