Female IS members have been notoriously difficult to prosecute for German authorities. But after pledging to crack down, authorities have charged a woman who allegedly worked for the IS morality police.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gambarini
Advertisement
For the first time, German authorities are prosecuting a female citizen for overseas involvement with the "Islamic State" group.
Authorities have struggled to bring cases against female IS members, but the country's attorney general has vowed to step up legal action against them.
Morality police officer
Authorities revealed several details about the 27-year-old's case:
Identified only as Jennifer W., she allegedly traveled to Iraq via Syria in 2014.
Between September 2014 and the beginning of 2016 she allegedly worked as a "morality policewoman" for IS.
She allegedly patrolled parks of the cities of Fallujah and Mosul, ensuring other women complied with the behavioral and clothing regulations of IS, earning between $70 and $100 (€60 to €86) a month.
She was arrested and deported by Turkish authorities two and a half years ago after applying for new identity papers at the German embassy in Ankara.
She was then arrested on Friday in southwest Bavaria and her apartment in Lower Saxony was searched.
"It is the first woman for whom we have succeeded in establishing enough evidence to satisfy the requirements of the jurisdiction of the Federal Supreme Court," a spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor's Office told DPA news agency.
Difficult to prosecute: Hundreds of German citizens traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight and support IS, many of whom have now been prosecuted. But women have proven difficult to charge. They would normally marry fighters and indoctrinate educate with IS ideology, but generally would not take up arms or become active. The investigation into Jessica W. reportedly took two years.
Crumbling proto-state: IS has been all but crushed by its numerous enemies in Iraq and Syria, being relegated to a handful of shrinking zones. The fighters have reportedly shifted their strategy to ideological terrorist strikes. A recent report by German news magazine Spiegel that cited German security authorities found that IS was educating its supporters on how to flee Syria and Iraq and evade justice by stealing other people's identity or completely destroying their documents.
aw/kms (dpa, AFP, epd, AP)
Editor's note: Deutsche Welle follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
