“Al Mawla was a rat who gave up a lot of information on others in IS. What does that tell you about him?”
-Daniel Milton, Combating Terrorism Centre
Declassified documents released by the Combating Terrorism Centre (CTC) suggest while in custody in 2008, the current leader of Daesh, Mohammed Said Abd Al Rahman Al-Mawla, provided US forces with information on dozens of Al-Qa’ida fighters, leading to death and division among his fellow jihadists.
The question follows – is Al-Mawla alone in betraying his comrades? Or is he “entirely characteristic of a movement in which superficial shows of brotherhood are increasingly failing to mask deep wells of distrust?”
Read CTC’s analysis of the documents here: https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CTC-SENTINEL-092020.pdf
The story was broken by Jenan Moussa for Al-Aan TV, who released three reports:
1/ Huge: Interrogation files shared with me by @CTCWP show that ISIS leader, Amir al Mawla, betrayed at least 19 of his comrades to American interrogaters in 2008 after his arrest.
Files reveal that Al Mawla gave detailed information on ISI, AlQaeda etc. pic.twitter.com/xJenJQrRpU
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) September 17, 2020
1/ Exclusive: Head of ISIS, Amir al Mawla, was in 2008 arrested by U.S. troops. During interrogation Al Mawla said he was a Sufi, which is surprising
Files shared with me by @CTCWP show all details. Sources in Iraq confirmed story to me. Check my report:pic.twitter.com/94BqHRp5Du
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) September 17, 2020
1/ EXCLUSIVE: I worked for last 3 weeks on this story about ISIS leader Amir al Mawla.
Until now not much is known about him but files shared with me by @CTCWP are a treasure trove.
Here is Al Mawla's identity card. And he isn't a Turkmen but an Arab.pic.twitter.com/udMozDaazJ
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) September 17, 2020
Newspapers
-The Emirati National broke the news in the UAE – ‘ISIS leader Al Mawla’s treachery led to death of his comrade in US air strikes’
https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/isis-leader-al-mawla-s-treachery-led-to-death-of-his-comrade-in-us-air-strikes-1.1079191
-The Telegraph lead in the UK – ‘Islamic State leader collaborated with America while in prison in 2008, documents show’
https://telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/17/islamic-state-leader-collaborated-america-prison-2008-documents/
-Akhbar al-Aan has the story in Arabic.
-The Daily Mail – ‘ISIS leader was US intelligence supergrass who ratted out 88 fellow jihadists when he was arrested in 2008, declassified files reveal’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8746865/ISIS-leader-intelligence-supergrass.html
-Al-Khaleej Today – ‘Treachery of ISIS leader Al Mawla saw comrades killed in American air strikes’
https://alkhaleejtoday.co/international/5043612/Treachery-of-ISIS-leader-Al-Mawla-saw-comrades-killed-in-American-air-strikes.html
-Independent – “Isis leader conspired with US to betray fellow jihadists”
-The Times – “Isis leader ‘ratted’ on fellow jihadists to American spies”
-Shafaaq – “ISIS leader provides information about dozens of his comrades to the US”
-Middle East Monitor – “Daesh leader revealed fellow jihadists’ identities to US”
-National Post – “New ISIL leader al-Mawla is in fact U.S. informant who gave up secrets on 88 jihadists”
-Sawt Beirut International – “American documents scandalize leader of Daesh…he cooperated with Washington by providing information”
–Toronto Sun – “ISIS chieftain turned terror tattle-tale by ratting out 88 jihadis”
–STEP News – “American documents reveal the cooperation of the new “ISIS” leader with Washington against this party … and the information he leaked”
–NEWSMAX – “ISIS Leader Provided Intel to US Forces Striking al-Qaida”
–The State – “ÍSIS leader ratted out 88 fellow jihadists when captured”
–AAj Ki Taza Khabar – “ÍSIS leader ratted out 88 fellow jihadists when captured”
–News Raiser – “New ISIL chief al-Mawla is in actual fact U.S. informant who gave up secrets and techniques on 88 jihadists”
–Medcom – “ISIS leader shares a lot of information with US intelligence”
–The Street Journal (Nigeria) – “ISIS leader ratted out 88 fellow jihadists when captured”
Social Media Reactions
–Edmund Fitton-Brown, former Ambassador to Yemen
“Al-Mawla is a rat; he’s a snitch”. Important insight emerging from this CTC event into the personality, approach and failings of ISIL’s new leader and the elitist, self-serving leadership culture of the group. https://t.co/pMyqcnj3CA
— Edmund Fitton-Brown (@EFittonBrown) September 17, 2020
–Abdullah Khaled, Assistant Professor at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences
تقرير حول هوية زعيم داعش الحالي العراقي أمير المولى @jenanmoussa pic.twitter.com/2EX1Pa5XSP
— عبدالله بن خالد (@AbdullahKhaledS) September 17, 2020
Austin C Doctor, Professor at East Kentucky University
Great insight from @haroro_ingram: Al-Mawla has already shown a willingness to be a rat, to preserve himself at the expense of his subordinates. There is likely an opportunity to disrupt IS by fomenting distrust between the group’s elite and middle managers.
— Austin C. Doctor (@austincdoctor) September 17, 2020
Zubeida Malik, freelance journalist, formerly BBC
If you want to know more about ISIS leader Al Mawla watch this report https://t.co/RSczfAw7d6
— Zubeida Malik (@zubeidamalik) September 17, 2020
Daniel Milton, CTC
Finally, these documents suggest al-Mawla revealed the names of dozens of fellow ISI fighters. He does not discuss some of these individuals in much detail, but for others divulges significant bits of information that could have been used to find these individuals.
— Daniel Milton (@Dr_DMilton) September 17, 2020