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ISIS Detainee Tells U.S. of Militants’ Plan to Use Mustard Gas ISIS Detainee Tells U.S. of Militants’ Plan to Use Mustard Gas
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — An Islamic State detainee currently in American custody at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq, is a specialist in chemical weapons whom American military officials are questioning about the militant Sunni group’s plans to use the banned substances in Iraq and Syria, Defense officials said. WASHINGTON — An Islamic State detainee currently in American custody at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq, is a specialist in chemical weapons whom American military officials are questioning about the militant Sunni group’s plans to use the banned substances in Iraq and Syria, defense officials said.
The detainee was identified by defense officials as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, a chemical and biological weapons expert who once worked for Saddam Hussein’s Military Industrialization Authority. The detainee was identified by officials as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, a chemical and biological weapons expert who once worked for Saddam Hussein’s Military Industrialization Authority.
Defense officials said that Mr. al-Afari, described by the military as a “significant” Islamic State operative who was captured a month ago by commandos in an elite American Special Operations force, has, under interrogation, provided his captors with details about how the group had weaponized mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells. Mr. al-Afari, described by the military as a “significant” Islamic State operative who was captured a month ago by commandos in an elite American Special Operations force, has, under interrogation, provided his captors with details about how the group had weaponized mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells, the officials said.
One Defense official said that it was not concentrated enough to kill anyone, but that it could maim people. One official said that the gas was not concentrated enough to kill anyone, but that it could maim people.
As is protocol, Defense Department officials notified the International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the treatment of detainees, that they were holding an Islamic State fighter. The Red Cross acknowledged in a statement on Tuesday that it had visited the detainee but gave no other information.As is protocol, Defense Department officials notified the International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the treatment of detainees, that they were holding an Islamic State fighter. The Red Cross acknowledged in a statement on Tuesday that it had visited the detainee but gave no other information.
Defense Department officials insist that the United States has no plans to hold the detainee or any other captives indefinitely, and that they will be handed over to the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities after they have been interviewed. The officials say they do not intend to establish a long-term American facility to hold Islamic State detainees, and Obama administration officials have ruled out sending any to the United States military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Defense Department officials insist that the United States had no plans to hold the detainee or any other captives indefinitely, and that they would be handed over to the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities after they had been interviewed. The officials say they did not intend to establish a long-term American facility to hold Islamic State detainees, and Obama administration officials have ruled out sending any to the United States military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Mr. al-Afari was captured last month, shortly after the arrival in Iraq of a new Special Operations force that is made up primarily of Delta Force commandos. They are the first major American combat force on the ground there since the United States pulled out of the country at the end of 2011.Mr. al-Afari was captured last month, shortly after the arrival in Iraq of a new Special Operations force that is made up primarily of Delta Force commandos. They are the first major American combat force on the ground there since the United States pulled out of the country at the end of 2011.
Before this, the American military has largely fought the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, with airstrikes, killing large numbers of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria. But the 200-member Special Operations team has been given the task of killing and capturing Islamic State operatives, the latter in particular to use in gathering intelligence.Before this, the American military has largely fought the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, with airstrikes, killing large numbers of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria. But the 200-member Special Operations team has been given the task of killing and capturing Islamic State operatives, the latter in particular to use in gathering intelligence.
Defense officials said the team had set up safe houses and worked with Iraqi and Kurdish forces to establish informant networks and conduct raids on Islamic State leaders and other important militants.Defense officials said the team had set up safe houses and worked with Iraqi and Kurdish forces to establish informant networks and conduct raids on Islamic State leaders and other important militants.
Senior Defense Department officials say the model for handling Mr. al-Afari came from a Delta Force raid last May, when two dozen American commandos from Iraq entered eastern Syria aboard Black Hawk helicopters and V-22 Ospreys, killed Abu Sayyaf, described by American officials as the Islamic State’s emir for oil and gas. Senior Defense Department officials say the model for handling Mr. al-Afari came from a Delta Force raid last May, when two dozen American commandos from Iraq entered eastern Syria aboard Black Hawk helicopters and V-22 Ospreys, killed a man known as Abu Sayyaf, described by American officials as the Islamic State’s emir for oil and gas.
Abu Sayyaf’s wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured and taken to a screening facility in northern Iraq, where she was questioned and detained. American forces seized laptop computers, cellphones and other materials from the site.Abu Sayyaf’s wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured and taken to a screening facility in northern Iraq, where she was questioned and detained. American forces seized laptop computers, cellphones and other materials from the site.
Umm Sayyaf was kept for three months by the American authorities and provided them with information, officials said. Last August, she was transferred to Kurdish custody, and last month the Justice Department filed an arrest warrant charging her with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State in an offense that officials said resulted in the death of Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker who was killed in Syria in February 2014.Umm Sayyaf was kept for three months by the American authorities and provided them with information, officials said. Last August, she was transferred to Kurdish custody, and last month the Justice Department filed an arrest warrant charging her with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State in an offense that officials said resulted in the death of Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker who was killed in Syria in February 2014.
Officials say that Umm Sayyaf provided information on the Islamic State’s kidnap-for-ransom networks.Officials say that Umm Sayyaf provided information on the Islamic State’s kidnap-for-ransom networks.
The United States has long suspected the Islamic State of using sulfur mustard, a chemical warfare agent, and last year officials said that they confirmed the presence of the mustard gas on fragments of ordnance used in Islamic State attacks in Syria and Iraq. Laboratory tests, which were also performed on scraps of clothing from victims, showed the presence of a partially degraded form of HD, also known as distilled sulfur mustard, an substance banned internationally that burns a victim’s skin, breathing passages and eyes. The United States has long suspected the Islamic State of using sulfur mustard, a chemical warfare agent, and last year officials said that they had confirmed the presence of the mustard gas on fragments of ordnance used in Islamic State attacks in Syria and Iraq. Laboratory tests, which were also performed on scraps of clothing from victims, showed the presence of a partially degraded form of HD, also known as distilled sulfur mustard, a substance banned internationally that burns a victim’s skin, airways and eyes.
Chemical warfare agents, broadly condemned and banned by most nations under international convention, are indiscriminate. They are also difficult to defend against without specialized equipment, which many of the Islamic State’s foes in Iraq and Syria lack, and they are worrisome as potential terrorist weapons, even though chlorine and blister agents are typically less lethal than bullets, shrapnel or explosives. Chemical warfare agents, broadly condemned and banned by most nations under international convention, are indiscriminate. They are also difficult to defend against without specialized equipment, which many of the Islamic State’s foes in Iraq and Syria lack, and they are worrisome as potential terrorist weapons, though chlorine and blister agents are typically less lethal than bullets, shrapnel or explosives.
It was unclear how the Islamic State obtained sulfur mustard, a banned substance with a narrow chemical warfare application. Both the former government in Iraq and the current government in Syria previously possessed chemical warfare programs.It was unclear how the Islamic State obtained sulfur mustard, a banned substance with a narrow chemical warfare application. Both the former government in Iraq and the current government in Syria previously possessed chemical warfare programs.