Iraq didn’t tell Berlin it had sentenced a German woman to death for joining ISIS

The woman, who has not been named publicly, was condemned for her involvement with Islamic State

Joanne Stocker January 23, 2018

1 minute read

Germany was not officially informed that one of its citizens, a woman of Moroccan descent, had been sentenced to death in Iraq for joining Islamic State and allegedly carrying out attacks on Iraqi Security Forces, according to a German official.

On Sunday, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council announced that a German woman was sentenced to death by hanging for joining ISIS with her daughters.

German authorities were aware of the press reports, but had not received official confirmation from the Iraqi side about the ruling, a German diplomatic source told The Defense Post.

The source, who asked not to be quoted, said the German embassy was in close contact with Iraqi authorities and has offered consular assistance to the woman.

The Iraqi foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Iraqi court spokesperson Abdel Settar Bayraqdar said on Sunday that the woman was found guilty of providing “logistical support and helping the terrorist group to carry out crimes.”

“The accused admitted during interrogations that she left Germany for Syria then Iraq to join ISIS with her two daughters, who married members of the terrorist organization,” he said.

She was reportedly captured by Iraqi Security Forces during the battle to retake Mosul. According to Spiegel, the German government is trying to get her death sentence reduced to a prison term.

The woman, who has not been named publicly, is believed to be the first European woman condemned to die for her association with ISIS. The German government estimates that around 200 German women have traveled to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS.

Another German national, Linda Wenzel, is currently awaiting trial in Baghdad. She left Germany in 2016 to join ISIS and was captured last year by Iraqi forces in Mosul. 17-year-old Wenzel also faces the death penalty.

Last week a group of French wives and children of ISIS fighters detained in Syria sued the French government for refusing to repatriate them. French officials have indicated they will not repatriate Emilie König, a 33-year-old French national arrested last month by the Syrian Democratic Forces. König, the daughter of a police officer, had appealed publicly to be returned to France.