Enlarge image
ISIS families in a camp in Syria (photo from 2019)
Photo: Carol Guzy / ZUMA Wire / IMAGO
For years she worked for the "Islamic State" (IS), now an American has to go to prison for 20 years for her support of the terrorist organization.
That was decided by a federal court in the city of Alexandria, Virginia.
The 42-year-old defendant Allison F. had previously confessed to supporting the terrorist organization and planning attacks in the United States.
She was also accused of leading and training a group of more than 100 IS fighters.
The women and girls are said to have learned how to use machine guns, hand grenades and explosive belts.
The youngest participant apparently only ten years old
Some of the participants in the training are said to have been minors.
According to the broadcaster CNN, the youngest fighter was only ten years old.
F. had claimed not to have known anything about the age of the girls and had asked for a prison sentence of only two years.
In addition, the training was only survival training.
The public prosecutor had accused F. of having committed terrorist acts in war zones in Libya, Iraq and Syria on behalf of three foreign terrorist organizations over a period of more than eight years.
It is unusual for a US citizen to hold a high position in IS.
US Attorney Raj Parekh said Fluke-Ekren had effectively become the "empress" of IS.
"She brainwashed young girls and trained them to kill."
Own daughter burdened F. heavily
Before the verdict, a daughter of F. had also heavily burdened her mother.
Accordingly, F. is said to have abused the minors, forced them into marriage and used them as a "sex slave".
According to CNN, the daughter said that when she was 13, she was forced into marriage to an IS fighter, whom she described as her "rapist".
With the marriage, her mother wanted to expand her power within IS.
F. denied the allegations.
fek/AFP