Wife of senior Islamic State leader charged over death of U.S. hostage

The wife of a senior Islamic State leader who was killed in a U.S. raid last year has been charged in federal court with holding American Kayla Mueller hostage and with contributing to the aid worker’s death, the Justice Department has revealed. Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar, also known as Umm Sayyaf, admitted after her capture last May that she and her husband kept Miss Mueller captive along with several other young female hostages, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case. U.S. officials have said that while in custody, Miss Mueller was repeatedly forced to have sex with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group

At the same time, these charges reflect that the U.S. justice system remains a powerful tool to bring to bear against those who harm our citizens abroad.

Assistant Attorney General John Carlin

The criminal complaint, filed by federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, charges Umm Sayyaf with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terror organization, resulting in death. The case was brought one year after Miss Mueller was confirmed dead by her family and the Obama administration, though it’s not clear when or if Umm Sayyaf will be brought to the U.S. to stand trial. The 25-year-old Iraqi woman, who was captured last year, is currently in Iraqi custody and facing prosecution there. Her husband, Abu Sayyaf, a former Islamic State minister for oil and gas, was killed last May in a Delta Force raid of his compound. It is not clear how Miss Mueller met her death.

Kayla Mueller