Iraq arrests woman for incitement, uncovers ties to ISIS

Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces arrested Layla Al-Hamdani, known as “Umm Al-Qeera,” in Nineveh, a security revealed source on Thursday.

The source told Shafaq News that Al-Hamdani collaborated with a fugitive woman to film a video in which she chanted provocative slogans for dissemination on social media. The video was recorded amid a crowd outside the Nineveh Court of Appeals, where families of convicted individuals had gathered to complete procedures for the General Amnesty Law.

“Al-Hamdani allegedly sought to stir tensions between the convicts' families and security personnel, aiming to pressure courts into applying amnesty provisions to those noteligible.” She also made derogatory remarks about Mosul residents, claiming they “lacked honor compared to people from Fallujah”, in what was seen as an attempt to sow division and disrupt social harmony, the source added.

Regarding Al-Hamdani's ties to ISIS, the source noted that “she disclosed having five sons affiliated with the militant group, all of whom have been sentenced to either execution or imprisonment. She also acknowledged that her late husband, Khalid Ahmed Al-Hamdani, was involved in terrorist activities.”

The source pointed out that the suspect appeared before an investigative judge under Article 202 of the Penal Code, emphasizing that “Al-Hamdani’s arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on extremism and incitement.”