IS executes its judge in Syria

Damascus, May 18 (IANS/AKI) The Sunni extremist group Islamic State (IS) executed one of its prominent judges for being "moderate" in its northern Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, media reported on Monday.

The Sunni extremist group executed Turki al-Ani because he was too liberal, especially with alleged apostates, Siraj Press reported citing sources close to the Syrian opposition as saying.

Ani, known as Abu Abdallah, was killed after he issued passes to members of a group with alleged ties to the Syrian government, allowing them to move freely in Raqqa, Siraj Press said.

The report gave no information on when or how Ani was put to death.

Ani had often opposed IS decrees targeting civilians and the frequent sentences for apostasy issued by the group, according to the sources cited by Siraj Press.

Ani was once considered a possible future "emir" of Raqqa, but one of IS's most intransigent hardliners, Abu Ali al-Anbari, put paid to his candidacy, claiming Ani was too moderate, the report said.

--IANS/AKI

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