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Terrorism

German woman arrested for IS membership

August 7, 2019

Federal prosecutors claim she lived in seized houses in Iraq and worked in an IS hospital: Now they have charged the wife of an alleged IS fighter with terrorism, war crimes and weapons offenses.

https://p.dw.com/p/3NURv
Islamic State flag
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Hussein

A German woman has been arrested on charges of membership in the "Islamic State" (IS) terrorist group, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.  

Authorities said Sibel H., whose last name was not provided in line with Germany's privacy laws, traveled to Syria with her husband in 2016 to join IS and later stayed in Iraq.

Read more: Widow of prominent IS terrorist reportedly living quiet life in Germany

They allege she and her husband lived in homes confiscated by IS from civilians who fled, and she took care of the household so her husband "could be fully available" to IS.

The suspect was captured by Iraqi Kurdish forces in 2017 as the IS territorial "caliphate" collapsed.

Read more: Germany loses track of 160 'Islamic State' supporters 

Prosecutors said Sibel H. also faces war crimes and weapons charges.

No information was provided about her husband.

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