Is ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Bhagdadi dead? Most likely not

New Delhi, April 28: The news relating to the death of Abu Bakr Al-Bhagdadi, the Chief of the ISIS could well be a hoax. Indian Intelligence Bureau officials who have been verifying this news ever since Radio Iran claimed that the ISIS chief was dead tell Oneindia that there is no concrete confirmation about the same.

The news appears to be based on the information that trickled in last week which suggested that he was injured in an air strike. Indian Intelligence Bureau officials say that there is no confirmation on either his death or injury.

The Pentagon too has no information:
The Pentagon which tracks the movements of Bhagdadi very closely says that there is nothing to suggest that he is dead. The same line has been towed by several other intelligence agencies across the world who doubt that Bhagdadi was dead.

Indian agencies say that it would require a major operation to kill him. The ISIS keeps confusing people with several messages about his location. However a man of such importance in the ISIS will be highly guarded at all times and his location never ever disclosed.

Does he have a body double:

Intelligence Bureau officials say that there are unverified reports that he could have a body double. All major leaders have a body double and in some cases even 10 look alikes.

These body doubles or look alikes are often the ones who are put in the public glare. They are specifically used to chase enemies in a different direction. There is nothing that suggests that Bhagdadi could not have a body double.

It is quite likely that he may have one in Iraq and another at Syria. The real Bhagdadi may not be in these war torn zones at all. He will be protected at all times since he is the motivation for the entire force.

A psychological game:

This is one of the most routine psychological games that terrorist groups and their enemies play. Every time they feel that the enemy is closing in, terror groups announce that their leader has died.

This was done in the case of both Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ilyas Kashmiri several times. This sort of wrong information has helped these terrorists get an extra three to five years of life as such information has distracted the enemy.

Coming to the Bhagdadi death information the source is Iran. This country wants to see the end of Bhagdadi as he has taken the anti Shia battle to an entirely different level. Iran could have planted this news to create flutters in the ISIS.

Such news tends to demoralize the forces a great deal until a new leader is in place. This gives a country like Iran an advantage to beat down the forces whose morales would be sagging in the event of such a news.

OneIndia News