Thousands of stolen ”IS files” could unmask terrorists

Counterterrorism experts in Germany and other countries are studying tens of thousands of data files allegedly stolen from the Islamic State group, said to contain detailed personal information about terrorist recruits. Britain’s Sky News said it acquired the information from a disillusioned Islamic State defector who told a reporter in Turkey that he stole a […]

Counterterrorism experts in Germany and other countries are studying tens of thousands of data files allegedly stolen from the Islamic State group, said to contain detailed personal information about terrorist recruits.
Britain’s Sky News said it acquired the information from a disillusioned Islamic State defector who told a reporter in Turkey that he stole a memory stick from the head of Islamic State’s internal security. The files are believed to hold information about more than 22,000 of the group’s members, recruits and sympathizers.
Germany’s interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, said the revelation could help track down militants wherever they are working and lead to their prosecution.
Reports from Britain, Germany and Syria say the files contain information about jihadists from 51 countries, including 23 questions Islamic State recruits must answer before they can be accepted as members of the extremist organization.