Crucial UAE funding is helping UN investigators to move a step closer to prosecuting ISIS in Iraq for war crimes against Yazidi women and children.
The latest report from the UN’s ISIS war crimes team reveals that prosecutions of terrorists could begin in months.
The Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS said it was aided by funds from the UAE to advance its investigations of crimes of sexual slavery, leading to more ISIS offenders being identified.
“Contributions provided by the UAE have continued to support and enhance the work of the Sexual and Gender-based Crimes and Crimes Against Children Unit," said the UN team's report, which will be presented to the UN Security Council on Thursday.
“Recent interviews have strengthened established investigations in that area and have served to identify additional suspected ISIS perpetrators connected with sexual slavery.”
The team, led by British lawyer Karim Khan, QC, has identified nearly 350 terrorists behind the genocide of the Yazidis and other groups.
Using more than 2 million pieces of data from mobile phones, investigators were able to place ISIS members at the scenes of the atrocities.
It has been training Iraqi investigative judges in the development of case files for the prosecution of ISIS members for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The team is working with Iraq to implement a war crime law, which is expected to be adopted within the next year and lead to prosecutions.
It also said “substantial progress has been made” in pursuing new lines of investigation in relation to crimes committed by ISIS against the Kakai, Shabak and Shiite Turkmen communities.
In October, Iraqi experts from the Mass Graves and Medico-Legal directorates started exhumations in the mass graves left by ISIS in Solagh and Kojo, Nineveh governorate.
The team says its work has been affected by the pandemic but now its priority is to return the remains of loved ones to their families.
“Through close co-operation with the Iraqi authorities, the team is now moving forward with a number of priority activities on the ground in Iraq, including the crucial resumption of mass grave excavations and the return of the remains of victims to families,” it said.
“Through the combined initiatives of domestic legislative reform, the provision of support by the team to Iraqi authorities in the preparation of case files and the digitisation of vast amounts of evidence, a path towards the successful completion of the mandate of the team has emerged.
“The team will continue to rely on its partnership with survivors, affected communities, national authorities and the international community in pursuit of meaningful accountability for crimes committed by ISIS.”
The data the team has collected so far has helped to find suspects from the summer of 2014, when extremists killed and enslaved thousands of Yazidis in northern Iraq.
Mr Khan said the records provided evidence that was admissible in court and could prove criminal responsibility beyond reasonable doubt.
There are more than 200 mass graves containing up to 12,000 bodies in Iraq, which are attributed to ISIS.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
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Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
