Convicted Islamic State leader gets death sentence

BAGHDAD — A top aide to the leader of the Islamic State was sentenced to death by hanging by an Iraqi court on Wednesday, becoming the highest-ranking member of the extremist group to be tried and punished in a court of law. Ismail al-Ithawi was part of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s inner circle and was responsible for religious edicts, finances and designing the educational curriculum for the Islamic State’s once-vast area of control across Iraq and Syria. He is also thought to be the group’s only operative in custody to have seen Baghdadi alive last year. Ithawi, who used the alias Abu Zaid al-Iraqi, was captured in a joint operation by Iraqi, American and Turkish intelligence agencies in February and had been providing information to Iraqi authorities, including coordinates for airstrikes on targets in Syria, Iraqi officials said. His capture, along with that of four other important figures he helped authorities track down, was touted by President Donald Trump in a tweet in May, and experts believed he could help authorities locate Baghdadi. Last month, Baghdadi released an audiotape, apparently intending to prove he is still alive. Ithawi is the most prominent member of the Islamic State to have faced trial in Iraq. He is one of more than 300 Iraqis and foreigners, including women, to have been given death sentences. It was not clear why Ithawi was given a death sentence despite his cooperation with authorities.