Sami Jassem al-Jubouri was an important part of the terrorist organisation's financial network

ISIS 'finance minister' captured outside Iraq

photo_camera AFP PHOTO / BAGHDAD OPERATIONS COMMAND - This handout image provided by the Iraqi Army's Baghdad Operations Command provided on 11 October 2021 shows Sami Jasim al-Jaburi, alleged Islamic State group finance chief, detained by intelligence services "outside the borders" of Iraq.

Iraqi intelligence forces have arrested Sami Jassem al-Jubouri, also known as Abu Abdul Qadir al-Zubaidi, in an operation outside Iraq's borders. Al-Jubouri played a role equivalent to a 'minister of economy' within ISIS, the Iraqi Security Cell said in an official statement: 'He held leadership, security and financial positions within the terrorist organisation. Now, thanks to an operation outside the territory that has just held early elections, one of the key individuals within the extremist organisation has been caught.

He has held various roles throughout his career in the organisation, including as deputy to terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and also held the Diwan Money House, as well as the position of deputy governor of Tigris. The Iraqi intelligence forces' statement said the operation was a "qualitative act, with a special operation outside the borders". They add that Sami Jassem al-Jubouri "is considered one of the most wanted internationally and is close to the committee authorised to administer the organisation and to the current leader of the organisation, the criminal Abdullah Qardash".

Iraq's own prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, commented on the operation on his Twitter account: "At a time when the eyes of our security heroes were watching to protect the elections, their efforts were on the intelligence service in one of the most difficult operations carried out abroad". However, the Iraqi authorities have chosen not to reveal the location of the terrorist's arrest. The operation is described as one of the most historically important in Iraq's fight against ISIS terrorism.

Yesterday, during the Iraqi elections, the prime minister announced that a major security breakthrough had been achieved but decided not to reveal the details so as not to overshadow an election day that ended with the lowest voter turnout since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. "We are on a date with a great security achievement, but we will announce it tomorrow so that it does not affect the voting process," Al-Kazemi told the media on Sunday as he left the polling station after casting his ballot.

Iraq takes an important step in the fight against terrorism with the capture of one of the key ISIS figures in economic terms. However, not everything in the Iraqi country is good news, as there is enormous concern among political leaders who see the new government as lacking credibility after the fall in voter turnout in an election in which barely nine million people - out of the 25 million who can exercise their right to vote - have turned out to vote.

More in Politics