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Wife, child of Islamic State head detained in Lebanon Wife, child of Islamic State head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi held in Lebanon, officials say
(about 5 hours later)
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s military has detained a wife and child of the Islamic State leader, security officials said Tuesday, handing authorities possible bargaining chips for the release of hostages held by the militant group. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s military has detained a wife and child of the leader of the Islamic State, security officials said Tuesday.
The detentions — which also included a spouse of another senior Islamic State commander — could offer insights into the movements and activities of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his inner circle. The spouse of another senior Islamic State commander was also detained by the army, officials said. The women and child might be able to offer insights into the activities of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his inner circle. Or they could become bargaining chips for the release of hostages held by the militant group.
A Lebanese intelligence official, who identified Baghdadi’s wife as Sagia Dulaimi, said she was detained last week with her 9-year-old daughter at the Madfoun checkpoint in northern Lebanon. A Lebanese intelligence official identified Baghdadi’s wife as Sagia Dulaimi and said she was detained last week with her 9-year-old daughter at the Madfoun checkpoint in northern Lebanon.
Other media reports, including the Associated Press, identified the child as a boy. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear. Other media reports, including from the Associated Press, identified the child as a boy. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear.
Both were carrying false identification documents after crossing over from Syria, where the Islamic State holds significant territory, said the official, who was involved in interrogating the detainees. He said they were Syrian nationals, but other security officials said they could be Iraqi. Baghdadi’s wife and child were carrying false identity papers after crossing from Syria, said the official, who was involved in interrogating the detainees. He said they were Syrian nationals, but other security officials said they could be Iraqi.
They were being held at a Defense Ministry compound on the outskirts of Beirut, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing a lack of authority to discuss the issue in public. The pair were being held at a Defense Ministry compound on the outskirts of Beirut, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing a lack of authority to discuss the issue on the record.
An official in Lebanon’s military also said Tuesday that the army has apprehended the wife of another senior Islamic State militant who is of Chechen origin. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to release her identity or the name of her husband. The second woman is of Chechen origin, said a Lebanese military official. The official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, declined to release her identity or the name of her husband.
It was not immediately clear whether the woman was detained at the same time as the wife and child of Baghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai.It was not immediately clear whether the woman was detained at the same time as the wife and child of Baghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name is Ibrahim al-Samarrai.
It also remains uncertain why they came to Lebanon, where the Islamic State, a radical al-Qaeda offshoot also known as ISIS or ISIL, is opposed by both the country’s Western-allied military and the powerful Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. It also remains uncertain why the detainees came to Lebanon, where the Islamic State, a radical al-Qaeda offshoot also known as ISIS or ISIL, is opposed by both the country’s Western-allied military and the powerful Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia.
The military official said a number family members of Islamic State militants had taken refuge in northern Lebanon, where there are pockets of support from groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria. The military official said a number of family members of Islamic State militants had taken refuge in northern Lebanon, where there are pockets of support from groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, or al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria.
In a border area, at least six Lebanese soldiers were killed by gunmen in an ambush attack Tuesday, the AP reported, citing a security official. Details on the assailants were not immediately known, but border areas near Syria have been the site of previous clashes between security forces and militant groups including the Nusra Front. The three detainees could be used to bargain for the release of hostages held by the Islamic State, which has kidnapped thousands of people — including Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Europeans and Americans — to extract ransoms or punish those it considers guilty ofreligious transgressions. The militants also have beheaded captives, including two American journalists as well as American and British aid workers — in response to airstrikes by a U.S.-led coalition, the Islamic State has said.
The latest detentions, meanwhile, could be used as leverage for the release of hostages held by the group. The intelligence official said Dulaimi was part of a prisoner exchange this year between the Syrian government and rebels in Maaloula, a city in Syria. In that deal, the government of Bashar al-Assad agreed to release 150 prisoners in exchange for Greek Orthodoxnuns who are believed to have been held by militants with links to groups such as al-Qaeda.
The Islamic State has kidnapped thousands of people — including Arabs, Turks, Kurds Europeans and Americans — to extract ransoms or because of what the group sees as religious transgressions. It also has beheaded captives for political reasons, including two American journalists as well as American and British aid workers, in response to airstrikes by a U.S.-led coalition. In August, militants sympathetic to the Islamic State attacked the northern Lebanese town of Arsal and captured more than 20 soldiers before withdrawing. They have since beheaded two of the soldiers, demanding that Lebanon release a number of jihadists it has jailed.
The intelligence official said Dulaimi was part of a prisoner exchange earlier this year between the Syrian government and rebels in Maaloula, a city in Syria. In that agreement, the government agreed to release 150 prisoners in exchange for Greek Orthodox nuns who are believed to have been held captive by militants with links to groups such as al-Qaeda. The Lebanese daily As-Safir was the first to report on the detentions of Baghdadi’s wife and child, whom it identified as a son. The newspaper added that the arrests were made in “coordination with foreign intelligence agencies.”
In August, militants with sympathies to Islamic State besieged the northern Lebanese town of Arsal and captured more than 20 soldiers before withdrawing. They have since beheaded two of the soldiers, demanding that Lebanon release a number of Islamist militants held in its jails. After lightning advances in Iraq this year by the Islamic State, Baghdadi declared a caliphate on land under the group’s control, which extends from deep inside Iraq to northern Syria.
The Lebanese daily As-Safir was the first to report on the detentions of Baghdadi’s wife and child, who was identified as a son. The newspaper added that the arrests were made in “coordination with foreign intelligence agencies.” Meanwhile, at least six Lebanese soldiers were killed by gunmen in an ambush in a border area Tuesday, the AP reported, citing a security official. Details on the identity of the assailants were not immediately known, but there have been previous clashes near the Syrian border involving security forces and militant groups including Jabhat al-Nusra.
Lebanon has taken in more than 1 million Syrian refugees, and officials here have increasingly sounded alarm bells about the security threat of hosting such a large influx of foreign nationals.
Following lightning advances in Iraq by the Islamic State, Baghdadi declared a caliphate on land under the group’s control, which extends from deep inside Iraq to northern Syria.
It is unclear how many wives Baghdadi has, although Islamic Law permits four.
Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.