Counter-terrorism chief: fighting ISIS requires cooperation across all state institutions

BAGHDAD — The head of Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service, Karim al-Tamimi, said Tuesday that confronting terrorism requires the cooperation of all state institutions, stressing that the agency also places strong emphasis on media engagement.

“Terrorism represents a deviant ideology more than it is a political or military movement composed of individuals who can simply be eliminated,” al-Tamimi told the Iraqi News Agency. He warned that “this ideology may re-emerge whenever favorable conditions arise.”

He said “confronting terrorism requires the cooperation of all state institutions, not only the security agencies, in order to prevent the return of this extremist ideology and thwart any attempt to reproduce it.”

Al-Tamimi said the Counter-Terrorism Service “pays attention to the media and cooperation with media institutions,” noting that “citizens need to know what is happening in an accurate and transparent manner.” He pointed out that “many war correspondents accompanied security forces during liberation operations against ISIS.”

The statement comes as Iraq’s Justice Ministry said Saturday that 5,703 Islamic State detainees transferred from Syria are currently held in Iraqi prisons, representing 61 nationalities.

The transfers followed clashes in northern Syria near detention facilities holding thousands of ISIS prisoners, raising concerns over security and possible escapes. U.S. Central Command has begun transferring detainees to Iraq, with plans to relocate up to 7,000.

Iraqi officials have warned that renewed violence in Syria could enable ISIS cells to regroup and attempt cross-border movement, prompting reinforced border defenses.