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Disinfo: Al Baghdadi might have been a US agent

Summary

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was in the Camp Bucca detention center inside a US base in Iraq for about five years “under the auspices of the United States.” As he was leaving the detention centre, Al-Bahdadid said “see you in New York guys”. This implies that he knew many US officers and soldiers in the detention centre hailed from New York City. There are many question marks about how a terrorist organisation would give allegiance to a leader who had just come out of a US base after five years in detention, and earlier why he had been released without trial, or even not sent to Guantanamo like other terrorists.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory perpetuating a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that the US has created and is supporting terrorist organisations.

Details of the operation to eliminate Al Baghdadi have been confirmed by the Pentagon, the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Iraqi intelligence. Parts of the footage filmed by US troops involved on it has been released, as announced by US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and president Donald Trump.

The claim that ISIS was created by the CIA is a recurrent Russian narrative which has already been debunked often. In reality, the United States is committed to degrade and destroy this terrorist organisation. You can see other examples of disinformation on alleged US and Western backing for jihadist groups here, here, here and here.

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publication/media

RT Arabic
  • Reported in: Issue 171
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 30/10/2019
  • Language/target audience: Arabic
  • Country: Iraq, US
  • Keywords: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Conspiracy theory

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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