Germany protests death sentence for IS member in Iraq

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Germany has protested a death sentence which the Iraqi judiciary issued  against a German national for affiliation with the Islamic State militants, German press reports were quoted saying.

London-based, Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat quoted the reports saying that the German embassy in Baghdad had officially protested a death sentence against a Moroccan-German woman found guilty for providing logistic assistance to the militant group.

According to the reports, the German government was surprised by the verdict, issued late last week, and was expecting a prison sentence instead.

A spokesperson of the Iraqi High Judicial Council said the convict “offered logistic support to the group and assisted in several terrorist operations. She was convicted for participation in attacks against Iraqi security and military troops”.

Reports had said that Iraq allowed embassy officials to visit detained German nationals who worked for IS.

Germany had urged Iraq to give up death sentences.

Iraqi forces had said they were holding nearly 1,400 family members of Islamic State fighters arrested during  military operations launched against the militant group in 2914, when the militants proclaimed a self-styled “caliphate”. Iraq declared victory over IS militants early December, but troops are still chasing remnant militants at some regions.