This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/world/middleeast/lebanon-said-to-detain-wife-and-son-of-isis-leader.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Lebanon Detains Relatives of ISIS Leader, One of Them His Daughter | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Lebanese authorities have detained a daughter of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group, as well as the child’s mother, American officials said Tuesday, possibly granting Lebanon leverage in its efforts to free Lebanese captives held by the group. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Lebanese authorities have detained a daughter of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group, as well as the child’s mother, American officials said Tuesday, possibly granting Lebanon leverage in its efforts to free Lebanese captives held by the group. |
| Lebanese security officials had reported earlier that Mr. Baghdadi’s wife and one son had been arrested more than a week ago while trying to enter Lebanon from Syria. But American officials said that the child was a girl and that it remained unclear whether her mother was Mr. Baghdadi’s legal wife, common-law wife or former wife. | Lebanese security officials had reported earlier that Mr. Baghdadi’s wife and one son had been arrested more than a week ago while trying to enter Lebanon from Syria. But American officials said that the child was a girl and that it remained unclear whether her mother was Mr. Baghdadi’s legal wife, common-law wife or former wife. |
| The arrests appeared to be the first time that one of the governments that have battled the Islamic State had taken into custody any relatives of the jihadist leader, who has not been seen in public for months. The detentions raised the possibilities that the woman could provide valuable information on the group’s operations or be used as a bargaining chip in hostage negotiations. | The arrests appeared to be the first time that one of the governments that have battled the Islamic State had taken into custody any relatives of the jihadist leader, who has not been seen in public for months. The detentions raised the possibilities that the woman could provide valuable information on the group’s operations or be used as a bargaining chip in hostage negotiations. |
| Asked about the reports in Brussels, Secretary of State John Kerry said that he did not know the details of the case and that the United States would not take part in such talks. | Asked about the reports in Brussels, Secretary of State John Kerry said that he did not know the details of the case and that the United States would not take part in such talks. |
| “I don’t think we engage in that kind of negotiation, period,” Mr. Kerry said. | “I don’t think we engage in that kind of negotiation, period,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| Yet the Islamic State is one of the insurgent factions holding more than 20 Lebanese soldiers and police officers who were captured this year near the Syrian border, and the Lebanese authorities have been struggling to secure their release. As negotiations have dragged on, a number of captives have been released or beheaded, and the families of the remaining prisoners have publicly criticized the government for failing to do more. | Yet the Islamic State is one of the insurgent factions holding more than 20 Lebanese soldiers and police officers who were captured this year near the Syrian border, and the Lebanese authorities have been struggling to secure their release. As negotiations have dragged on, a number of captives have been released or beheaded, and the families of the remaining prisoners have publicly criticized the government for failing to do more. |
| The American officials did not give the woman’s name, but two Lebanese officials identified her as Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi, a name indicating that she was probably Syrian or Iraqi. One of the Lebanese officials said that her relationship to Mr. Baghdadi had not been confirmed. | The American officials did not give the woman’s name, but two Lebanese officials identified her as Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi, a name indicating that she was probably Syrian or Iraqi. One of the Lebanese officials said that her relationship to Mr. Baghdadi had not been confirmed. |
| “The investigation is still focusing on whether Dulaimi is really Baghdadi’s wife,” the official said, adding that there were strong indications that she was. | “The investigation is still focusing on whether Dulaimi is really Baghdadi’s wife,” the official said, adding that there were strong indications that she was. |
| The Lebanese news media reported that a woman of the same name had been detained earlier this year by the Syrian authorities, and then released as part of a prisoner swap that secured the release of a group of Syrian nuns held hostage by antigovernment insurgents. | The Lebanese news media reported that a woman of the same name had been detained earlier this year by the Syrian authorities, and then released as part of a prisoner swap that secured the release of a group of Syrian nuns held hostage by antigovernment insurgents. |
| Although the Islamic State has drawn international attention for seizing territory in Syria and Iraq and for distributing videos of its fighters beheading hostages, little is known about its leader, whom the group has declared to be caliph of the world’s Muslims. | Although the Islamic State has drawn international attention for seizing territory in Syria and Iraq and for distributing videos of its fighters beheading hostages, little is known about its leader, whom the group has declared to be caliph of the world’s Muslims. |
| Mr. Baghdadi has not appeared in public since July, when he delivered a sermon in the Iraqi city of Mosul. Since then, he has addressed his followers only through audio recordings or through spokesmen. | Mr. Baghdadi has not appeared in public since July, when he delivered a sermon in the Iraqi city of Mosul. Since then, he has addressed his followers only through audio recordings or through spokesmen. |
| The United States has offered up to $10 million for information on his whereabouts. But analysts and security officials who track the group differ on his ultimate importance, debating whether he is the organization’s operational commander or a figurehead. | The United States has offered up to $10 million for information on his whereabouts. But analysts and security officials who track the group differ on his ultimate importance, debating whether he is the organization’s operational commander or a figurehead. |
| Mr. Baghdadi’s personal life remains something of a mystery. Many leaders of jihadist groups have multiple wives, but the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has not given specifics about Mr. Baghdadi’s marital status. An official biography released this year said only that he was married. | Mr. Baghdadi’s personal life remains something of a mystery. Many leaders of jihadist groups have multiple wives, but the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has not given specifics about Mr. Baghdadi’s marital status. An official biography released this year said only that he was married. |
| Lebanese officials appeared to be in some doubt about the identities of the woman and the child. | Lebanese officials appeared to be in some doubt about the identities of the woman and the child. |
| One army official reached by telephone said that the woman was still being questioned and that the army was unsure how much information she possessed about the Islamic State’s operations. “We still don’t know how valuable she is,” the official added. | One army official reached by telephone said that the woman was still being questioned and that the army was unsure how much information she possessed about the Islamic State’s operations. “We still don’t know how valuable she is,” the official added. |
| A former senior American military official said he discounted the woman’s intelligence value and was skeptical that the Lebanese would be able to gain leverage over Mr. Baghdadi by holding her. | A former senior American military official said he discounted the woman’s intelligence value and was skeptical that the Lebanese would be able to gain leverage over Mr. Baghdadi by holding her. |
| During the Iraq war, the official said, the Americans seized a wife of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq, the predecessor to ISIS, in an effort to extract information about the group. “We got little out of her, and when we sent her back, Zarqawi killed her,” the official said. | During the Iraq war, the official said, the Americans seized a wife of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq, the predecessor to ISIS, in an effort to extract information about the group. “We got little out of her, and when we sent her back, Zarqawi killed her,” the official said. |
| All officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the news media. The Lebanese state news service remained silent on the matter. | All officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the news media. The Lebanese state news service remained silent on the matter. |
| The Lebanese state news agency reported on Tuesday night that gunmen had killed six Lebanese soldiers as they patrolled near the Syrian border outside the town of Ras Baalbek, and there was speculation in the news media that the attack might have been a response to the arrests. But there have been many similar attacks by militants in the area, which is crowded with Syrian refugees, and there was no indication of a link. | The Lebanese state news agency reported on Tuesday night that gunmen had killed six Lebanese soldiers as they patrolled near the Syrian border outside the town of Ras Baalbek, and there was speculation in the news media that the attack might have been a response to the arrests. But there have been many similar attacks by militants in the area, which is crowded with Syrian refugees, and there was no indication of a link. |
| As reports of the arrests of the woman and the child surfaced on Tuesday, Islamic State supporters took to social media to declare them false. The group’s opponents, on the other hand, joked that perhaps Mr. Baghdadi’s wife was on her way to Casino du Liban, the famous Lebanese casino, or to attend the funeral of the Lebanese singer Sabah, who died last week. Either activity would surely draw a death sentence from the Islamic State. | As reports of the arrests of the woman and the child surfaced on Tuesday, Islamic State supporters took to social media to declare them false. The group’s opponents, on the other hand, joked that perhaps Mr. Baghdadi’s wife was on her way to Casino du Liban, the famous Lebanese casino, or to attend the funeral of the Lebanese singer Sabah, who died last week. Either activity would surely draw a death sentence from the Islamic State. |