BAGHDAD — Iraq has detained or imprisoned at least 19,000 people accused of connections to the Islamic State group or other terror-related offences, and sentenced more than 3,000 of them to death, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. In addition, another 11,000 people currently are being detained by the intelligence branch of the Interior Ministry, undergoing interrogation or awaiting trial, a second intelligence official said. Since 2014, about 250 executions of convicted IS members have been carried out, according to the Baghdad-based intelligence official. Many refuse to eat meat from the cafeteria, believing it hasn’t been prepared according to religious guidelines, the prison official said. But in Nasiriyah, the prison official said inmates appear to remain in contact with the outside.

Source: National Post March 21, 2018 06:09 UTC