Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar, aka Umm Sayyaf, 25, an Iraqi citizen and wife of Abu Sayyaf, a senior leader within the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) until his death last year, was charged by criminal complaint today for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in the death of American citizen Kayla Jean Mueller in February 2015.
According to the affidavit, in August 2013, on their second full day in northern Syria, Mueller and Individual 1 were kidnapped at gunpoint by masked ISIL soldiers. Mueller remained an ISIL hostage until her death on or about Feb. 7, 2015.
In August 2014, Individual 2 and Individual 3, two young Kurdish women of Yazidi heritage, were forcibly kidnapped by ISIL from their village in northern Iraq. After their capture, Individual 2 and Individual 3 were taken to a prison in Syria maintained by ISIL where they were held with Mueller.
According to the affidavit, on or about Sept. 24, 2014, Mueller, Individual 2 and Individual 3 were transferred from the ISIL prison to the custody of Abu and Umm Sayyaf. Abu Sayyaf, who reported directly to ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was ISIL’s minister of oil and gas, and was previously responsible for ISIL’s media program. The Sayyafs maintained several residences where they forcibly held Mueller, Individual 2 and Individual 3, along with other female captives. The captives were at various times handcuffed, held in locked rooms, and Mueller was sexually abused by Baghdadi, who forced her to have sex with him. Umm Sayyaf knew how Mueller was treated by Baghdadi when Mueller was held against her will in Sayyaf’s home.
The Sayyaf residences featured ISIL flags and other ISIL-branded items, and often had numerous firearms open and visible to captives. For a period of time, a large supply of weapons was maintained in a room of one of the residences for use by ISIL fighters.
According to the affidavit, the Sayyafs held young women who were sold or traded to ISIL men, and the women were characterized as being “owned” by the ISIL men who acquired them. While Mueller, Individual 2 and Individual 3 were held captive by the Sayyafs, Umm Sayyaf threatened the women, telling them she would kill them if they did not listen to her.
According to the affidavit, on or about May 15, 2015, the U.S. military conducted an operation targeting one of the Sayyaf residences. During the operation, Abu Sayyaf was killed when he engaged with U.S. military forces and Umm Sayyaf was captured. Firearms stored at the residence at the time of the operation were seized and are currently in the custody of the FBI.
According to the affidavit, beginning on or about June 17, 2015, Umm Sayyaf was interviewed by FBI agents and admitted that her family belonged to the al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) terrorist organization, the predecessor group to ISIL, and remained members of the terrorist organization when its name changed to ISIL. The defendant admitted to holding Mueller, Individual 2, Individual 3 and others hostage on behalf of ISIL. Umm Sayyaf also admitted she had sole responsibility for Mueller, Individual 2, Individual 3 and others in captivity while her husband travelled on ISIL business. In addition, she admitted to hosting ISIL members, including al-Baghdadi, at her residence.
According to the affidavit, Sayyaf admitted that al-Baghdadi “owned” Mueller during her captivity at the Sayyaf residence and admitted that “owning” is equivalent to slavery.
If convicted, Sayyaf faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
