Runaway German schoolgirl Linda Wenzel jailed in Iraq
Teenager fled abroad to become an Isis bride at 15 after being groomed online

A German schoolgirl who ran away to become an Isis bride has been sentenced to six years in prison by an Iraqi court following her arrest during the battle for Mosul.
Linda Wenzel - who sobbed in a television interview last year that she had ruined her life - was too young to receive the death penalty, The Times reports.
The 17-year-old was reportedly given five years for being a member of Isis, and an additional year for illegally entering Iraq, says German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Wenzel led her home in Pulsnitz, east Germany, at the age of 15 after talking to extremists online and converting to Islam, The Independent reports. She entered Iraq via Turkey and Syria and married an Isis fighter from Chechnya.
According to the Daily Express, Wenzel has been “caged” for her role as an “Islamic enforcer” with Isis. The Daily Mail says she worked for the all-female Al-Khansaa Brigade, who patrolled Isis territories and handed out beatings to women who violated religious laws such as venturing outside without a male family member.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Germany's conservatives win power amid far-right gains
Speed Read The party led by Friedrich Merz won the country's national election; the primary voter issues were the economy and immigration
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan
Under the Radar Islamabad blames Kabul for sheltering jihadi fighters terrorising Pakistan's borderlands
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Islamic State: the terror group's second act
Talking Point Isis has carried out almost 700 attacks in Syria over the past year, according to one estimate
By The Week UK Published