Sky News has reportedly obtained thousands of documents containing approximately 22,000 names, addresses, telephone numbers and contact information of family members of the Islamic State (IS) jihadis.
A disillusioned former member of the IS handed over the documents on a memory stick that was stolen from the head of the group’s internal security police.
Nationals from at least 51 countries, including the UK, India and the USA had to disclose their personal information when they had joined the terrorist organisation. The cache also reveals that ISIL had set up a human resources centre. The potential recruits had to undertake ‘entrance interviews’ and fill a 23-question form before they were inducted into the IS.
The revelation will help in identifying a number of previously unknown jihadis in the UK, India, across northern Europe, much of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in the United States and Canada. Their whereabouts could help break the organisation and prevent further terror attacks.
One of the files which is marked “Martyrs” has details of a brigade of fighters who intend to carry out suicide attacks and were trained to do so.
It is reported that the man who stole the files was a former Free Syrian Army convert to ISIS who calls himself Abu Hamed and says he is disillusioned with the ISIL leadership.
The leak may be considered a severe setback for the terrorist group because it provides intelligence on the war efforts in Syria and Iraq.
Sky reported that their journalist met Abu Hamed at a secret location in Turkey. He said that IS had plans to give up its headquarters in Raqqa to move into the central deserts of Syria and ultimately to Iraq—the group’s birthplace.
He also claimed that the Islamic State, The Kurdish YPG and the Syrian government of Bashar al Assad were working together against the moderate Syrian opposition.
Intelligence agencies are presently believed to be examining the documents.
