Iraqi court sentences IS chief Baghdadi’s deputy to death by hanging

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – An Iraqi court has sentenced to death by hanging a deputy to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi over his involvement in terrorist acts.

The convict, identified as Ismail al-Eithawy, had fled the country into Syria, then he escaped into Turkey following the defeat of Islamic State, where he was arrested, Iraqi website Al-Ekhbariya quoted spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council Abdul-Sattar al-Birqdar as saying.

Eithawy, according to the spokesman, “had held several positions within the terrorist Daesh (Islamic State) group, as he was in charge of the Iftaa (religious edict) committee and was responsible for developing the group’s educational curricula.”

Iraqi courts have sentenced tens of Islamic State members, including a big number of female members, to death over joining the militant group.

The exact number of detained militants is still unknown, however, it’s estimated to be at thousands. It’s also unclear how many members are likely to face death sentences.

Experts estimate that Iraq is holding 20,000 people in jail over suspected IS membership. There is no official figure, according to AFP.