Iraqi court sentences German woman to death for ISIS membership

Iraqi Federal police officers celebrating the military victory of Iraqi forces over ISIS in Mosul, on July 2, 2017. A German ISIS member who was captured during the fall of Mosul has been sentenced to death by an Iraqi court. PHOTO: REUTERS

BAGHDAD (REUTERS) - An Iraqi court yesterday (Sun) sentenced to death a German woman of Moroccan origin for membership of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a spokesman said.

The German national was captured by Iraqi forces during the battle for Mosul last year, the spokesman said, declining to identify her. She is the first foreign woman to be sentenced to death in Iraq for joining the militant group.

She can appeal the sentence, said Mr Abdul-Sattar al-Birqdar, spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council in Baghdad.

"She confessed that she travelled with her two daughters from Germany to Syria and then joined Daesh in Iraq," Mr Birqdar said, referring to ISIS by an Arabic word for the group.

The woman was convicted of participating in attacks on Iraqi security forces and offering the militant group logistical support, said Mr Birqdar.

A German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman declined comment.

Thousands of foreigners have been fighting for ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

A Russian ISIS fighter was sentenced to death in Iraq last year for joining the hardline group.

Iraq declared victory last month over ISIS, which had seized control of nearly a third of the country in 2014.

However, ISIS continues to carry out bombings and other attacks in the country.

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