Key Islamic State figure ‘the blind judge’ appears in Ramadi

A senior Islamic State figure known as “the blind judge” has made an appearance in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, asserting the militant group’s dominion over it as security forces and Shia militias prepare a counter-attack.

Residents of Ramadi said a blind man with one hand and his head shrouded had delivered a speech in the Anbar provincial capital’s main mosque after evening prayers on Wednesday.

They did not know who he was but recognised him to be a senior figure because he was flanked by a large number of guards and said his accent indicated he was Iraqi.

Iraqi security expert Hisham al-Hashimi, who closely tracks the hardline insurgents, identified the man as Ali Attiya al-Jubouri, also known as Abu Asim, or “the blind judge of the Islamic State”.

“This cleric who appeared in Ramadi yesterday is very famous,” Mr Hashimi said. “He is the second highest religious authority after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and the fifth man in the organization of Daesh.”

Daesh is an Arabic name for Islamic State.

Mr Hashimi said the appearance of the blind judge was designed to win over residents of Ramadi, many of whom sided with the government and fended off the militants until they were finally overcome on May 17th.

Scrambling to reverse the setback, Iraq’s government has deployed Shia militias to Anbar despite concerns about a potential sectarian backlash from the province’s predominantly Sunni population.

Iraqi forces thwarted an attack by Islamic State militants on their frontline position east of Ramadi on Thursday. – (Reuters)