Iraq Convicts Wives Of Former Al-Qaeda Chiefs

An Iraqi court has sentenced the widow of al-Qaeda’s local chieftain to life in prison for helping her husband carry out terrorist attacks.

Identified only by the initials “WJ,” she was the wife of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a US-Iraqi raid in April 2010. That operation also killed Abu Ayyub al-Masri, an Egyptian who was another top al-Qaeda leader in Iraq.

Masri's wife, Hasna Ali Yahya, a Yemeni, was also convicted by the court, also receiving a life sentence.

A spokesman for Iraq's High Council of Justice Abdel Sattar al-Beriqdar, explained that WJ was convicted of co-operating in terrorist attacks conducted by Baghdadi, including having control of the cash and suicide vests.

The criminal WJ confessed she participated with her terrorist husband in many armed terrorist operations in different areas in the country, Beriqdar said in a statement.

Beriqdar added that in Iraq a “life sentence” usually runs 20 to 25 years and could be appealed.

Beriqdar told Reuters that Yahya was convicted according to article four of the anti-terrorism law for [providing] cover and shelter to the terrorist group of Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

According to reports, al-Qaeda in Iraq killed thousands during 2006 and 2007 in sectarian violence, which included attacks on mosques and markets.