A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Karam on Baghdadi's Wife/Ex-Wife/Utter Stranger Story

For reasons noticed in my previous post,  blog time is limited, so here's an interesting link to read: we've all heard how the "Caliph's" wife/ex-wife/not related at all has been captured entering Lebanon/inside Lebanon, and lots of confusing reporting including, tonight, claims of DNA evidence. (DNA evidence is tricky and frequently misreported.)

Confused? Joyce Karam at Al-Arabiya tries to sort it out for you: "Arrest of an ISIS ex-wife: Between truth and distortion."

You'll still be confused, but if she doesnt clear the fog, she surely shows you where the fog is to be found. As she notes, catching what many have missed, whatever the links with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,
But it’s al-Dulaimi in particular that is the treasure trove for the Lebanese authorities. Her tribal roots descending from one of the largest and most widespread tribes in the Arab world, Dulaim, give her high status.

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