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| Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi repeatedly raped US hostage Kayla Mueller and turned children into personal sex slaves | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi viewed women held captive at a Syrian house as his private property, and forced himself upon a number of them, including the American hostage Kayla Mueller. | The Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi viewed women held captive at a Syrian house as his private property, and forced himself upon a number of them, including the American hostage Kayla Mueller. |
| As systematic rape becomes an increasingly powerful recruiting tool for Isis, the full story of the ordeal faced by the American aid worker, who would have turned 27 today, is revealed by a 14-year-old Yazidi girl who was captured by Isis in Sinjar, Iraq, in August last year. | As systematic rape becomes an increasingly powerful recruiting tool for Isis, the full story of the ordeal faced by the American aid worker, who would have turned 27 today, is revealed by a 14-year-old Yazidi girl who was captured by Isis in Sinjar, Iraq, in August last year. |
| She says she spent two months in captivity with Ms Mueller before escaping from the Syrian town of Al-Shadadiya in October 2014. | She says she spent two months in captivity with Ms Mueller before escaping from the Syrian town of Al-Shadadiya in October 2014. |
| After originally being held in the Iraqi city of Mosul by Isis for little under a month, the 14-year-old and four other young Yazidi girls had, by late August of 2014, met Ms Mueller. They were then transferred to Al-Shadadiya. | After originally being held in the Iraqi city of Mosul by Isis for little under a month, the 14-year-old and four other young Yazidi girls had, by late August of 2014, met Ms Mueller. They were then transferred to Al-Shadadiya. |
| According to the Yazidi girl, Ms Mueller had learnt basic Arabic while in captivity and went by the name of “Kayla Carol”. The last name derived from her father’s name - which in the Arab world serves as a family name - which is Carl. | According to the Yazidi girl, Ms Mueller had learnt basic Arabic while in captivity and went by the name of “Kayla Carol”. The last name derived from her father’s name - which in the Arab world serves as a family name - which is Carl. |
| Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, delivering a sermon at a mosque in Iraq (AP) | Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, delivering a sermon at a mosque in Iraq (AP) |
| Ms Muellerhad been kidnapped in Syria with her boyfriend in August of 2013 while leaving a Spanish Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Aleppo. Isis had demanded a ransom of €5m for her release. | Ms Muellerhad been kidnapped in Syria with her boyfriend in August of 2013 while leaving a Spanish Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Aleppo. Isis had demanded a ransom of €5m for her release. |
| Ms Mueller demonstrated an interest in aid and human rights work during her high school years, as a member of the Save Darfur Coalition. She had travelled to the Turkish-Syrian border in December 2012 to work with the humanitarian organisation Support to Life, assisting refugees who had been forced from their homes by the conflict. In 2013, she spoke about her experiences to the Prescott Kiwanis Club in Arizona, a volunteer group of which her fatheris a member. “Syrians are dying by the thousands, and they’re fighting just to talk about the rights we have,” she said. | Ms Mueller demonstrated an interest in aid and human rights work during her high school years, as a member of the Save Darfur Coalition. She had travelled to the Turkish-Syrian border in December 2012 to work with the humanitarian organisation Support to Life, assisting refugees who had been forced from their homes by the conflict. In 2013, she spoke about her experiences to the Prescott Kiwanis Club in Arizona, a volunteer group of which her fatheris a member. “Syrians are dying by the thousands, and they’re fighting just to talk about the rights we have,” she said. |
| As a captive in Al-Shadadiya, Ms Mueller was often visited by the Isis leader, say the Yazidi girls, who cooked and cleaned in the house. Rape was a “reward” for Isis victories. And, according to those held captive, many Yazidi women passed through the house on their way to being given as “presents” or sold to Isis fighters. | As a captive in Al-Shadadiya, Ms Mueller was often visited by the Isis leader, say the Yazidi girls, who cooked and cleaned in the house. Rape was a “reward” for Isis victories. And, according to those held captive, many Yazidi women passed through the house on their way to being given as “presents” or sold to Isis fighters. |
| The Yazidi girls say the sex trade was organised by Umm Sayyaf, the Iraqi wife of Abu Sayyaf, a Tunisian Isis financier. She was captured in Syria in May by US Special Forces and has reportedly been cooperating with military interrogators. | The Yazidi girls say the sex trade was organised by Umm Sayyaf, the Iraqi wife of Abu Sayyaf, a Tunisian Isis financier. She was captured in Syria in May by US Special Forces and has reportedly been cooperating with military interrogators. |
| Last week the White House announced that Umm Sayyaf would be prosecuted in Kurdish Iraq and would be “held accountable for her crimes”. | Last week the White House announced that Umm Sayyaf would be prosecuted in Kurdish Iraq and would be “held accountable for her crimes”. |
| In the house in Al-Shadadiya the four girls, all teenagers, were kept in one room with Ms Mueller, who tried to protect them from abuse and violence at the hands of Umm Sayyaf and Isis men, sometimes putting herself in greater danger by doing so, they say. The girls still speak fondly of Ms Mueller today. | In the house in Al-Shadadiya the four girls, all teenagers, were kept in one room with Ms Mueller, who tried to protect them from abuse and violence at the hands of Umm Sayyaf and Isis men, sometimes putting herself in greater danger by doing so, they say. The girls still speak fondly of Ms Mueller today. |
| Ms Mueller, from Prescott, Arizona, was described as a “mother figure” for them. But she left them regularly, when Baghdadi visited. | Ms Mueller, from Prescott, Arizona, was described as a “mother figure” for them. But she left them regularly, when Baghdadi visited. |
| The girls, who understand Arabic, say they recognised Baghdadi and other Isis leaders who arrived at the house. | The girls, who understand Arabic, say they recognised Baghdadi and other Isis leaders who arrived at the house. |
| Ms Mueller was taken to Baghdadi’s room elsewhere in the house by Abu Sayyaf. “I saw him often, he came there often,” the Yazidi girl says. “And every time he came, he took Kayla away. She would always come back after.” | Ms Mueller was taken to Baghdadi’s room elsewhere in the house by Abu Sayyaf. “I saw him often, he came there often,” the Yazidi girl says. “And every time he came, he took Kayla away. She would always come back after.” |
| Every time she returned to the room Ms Mueller told the Yazidi girls what had happened, often crying, telling them that Baghdadi had sexually abused her – or, in the conservative language the girls use, that “he had married her by force”. | Every time she returned to the room Ms Mueller told the Yazidi girls what had happened, often crying, telling them that Baghdadi had sexually abused her – or, in the conservative language the girls use, that “he had married her by force”. |
| Members of the minority Yazidi sect who were newly released hug each other on the outskirts of Kirkuk April 8, 2015 | Members of the minority Yazidi sect who were newly released hug each other on the outskirts of Kirkuk April 8, 2015 |
| A source close to the Mueller family confirmed the story of the girls was correct, to their knowledge. The family have reportedly been left angry by claims that Ms Mueller had converted to Islam or had been a willing captive. | A source close to the Mueller family confirmed the story of the girls was correct, to their knowledge. The family have reportedly been left angry by claims that Ms Mueller had converted to Islam or had been a willing captive. |
| The men of the “caliphate” do not usually marry Yazidi women, unless they have converted officially to Islam and have been accepted as Muslims themselves. After the Isis capture of the Mount Sinjar area in August 2014 many thousands of Yazidi were forced into captivity and became sex slaves. | The men of the “caliphate” do not usually marry Yazidi women, unless they have converted officially to Islam and have been accepted as Muslims themselves. After the Isis capture of the Mount Sinjar area in August 2014 many thousands of Yazidi were forced into captivity and became sex slaves. |
| In Abu Sayyaf’s house, Ms Mueller was not the only one to suffer. One of the Yazidi girls had also been given to Baghdadi, while another one was “married” to Abu Sayyaf, and yet another to Abu Tamim, who was responsible for bringing new Yazidi girls to the house. When the 14-year-old escaped with her sister in October 2014, she asked Mueller to join her. | In Abu Sayyaf’s house, Ms Mueller was not the only one to suffer. One of the Yazidi girls had also been given to Baghdadi, while another one was “married” to Abu Sayyaf, and yet another to Abu Tamim, who was responsible for bringing new Yazidi girls to the house. When the 14-year-old escaped with her sister in October 2014, she asked Mueller to join her. |
| But Ms Mueller refused, saying her foreign appearance would only put the girls in danger when they would be forced to ask for help from the local Arab community. | But Ms Mueller refused, saying her foreign appearance would only put the girls in danger when they would be forced to ask for help from the local Arab community. |
| About a month after they came to the Kurdistan region, in November 2014, the girl and her sister were questioned in detail about their stay with Abu Sayyaf by “some Americans”, the girl says. These people, who the girls believe were intelligence officers, let them go without offering anything in return for their information. | About a month after they came to the Kurdistan region, in November 2014, the girl and her sister were questioned in detail about their stay with Abu Sayyaf by “some Americans”, the girl says. These people, who the girls believe were intelligence officers, let them go without offering anything in return for their information. |
| The precise circumstances of Ms Mueller’s death remain disputed. Isis claimed she was killed in a Jordanian air strike near Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital in Syria. | The precise circumstances of Ms Mueller’s death remain disputed. Isis claimed she was killed in a Jordanian air strike near Raqqa, the group’s de facto capital in Syria. |
| Smoke rises following an airstrike by a US-led coalition aircraft in Syria | Smoke rises following an airstrike by a US-led coalition aircraft in Syria |
| That has not been confirmed. It has been reported that the bombing raid was targeting Baghdadi, and Isis are said to have sent Ms Mueller’s family an email with three pictures of her body in a hijab. | That has not been confirmed. It has been reported that the bombing raid was targeting Baghdadi, and Isis are said to have sent Ms Mueller’s family an email with three pictures of her body in a hijab. |
| Announcing her death in February, President Obama said: “No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla’s captivity and death.” Ms Mueller, he said, had “epitomised all that is good in our world”. | Announcing her death in February, President Obama said: “No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla’s captivity and death.” Ms Mueller, he said, had “epitomised all that is good in our world”. |
| “We are heartbroken to share that we’ve received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller has lost her life,” her parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, said in a statement at the time. | “We are heartbroken to share that we’ve received confirmation that Kayla Jean Mueller has lost her life,” her parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, said in a statement at the time. |
| “Kayla dedicated the whole of her young life to helping those in need of freedom, justice and peace.” | “Kayla dedicated the whole of her young life to helping those in need of freedom, justice and peace.” |
| Isis, when announcing her death, spoke of Ms Mueller as “our sister”. In May 2015 an American Delta team targeted the house in Al-Shadadiya, and during the operation Abu Sayyaf was killed and his wife captured. | Isis, when announcing her death, spoke of Ms Mueller as “our sister”. In May 2015 an American Delta team targeted the house in Al-Shadadiya, and during the operation Abu Sayyaf was killed and his wife captured. |
| The team found a trove of information on computers and USB-sticks, suggesting that the house played an important role in the command structure of Isis. | The team found a trove of information on computers and USB-sticks, suggesting that the house played an important role in the command structure of Isis. |
| Several Yazidi girls were freed in the attack. But the 14-year-old says she has not seen any of her former companions arrive in Iraq and she fears they may have been moved from the house, possibly soon after her escape. | Several Yazidi girls were freed in the attack. But the 14-year-old says she has not seen any of her former companions arrive in Iraq and she fears they may have been moved from the house, possibly soon after her escape. |