ISIS claims female Russian spy infiltrated terror network

Ramzan Kadyrov, acting head of the Chechen Republic, has claimed he set up a spy network to target ISIS. (AP)

Her name was "Elvira," and her treachery cost several ISIS members their lives before the caliphate's spy hunters tracked her down and executed her, according to the latest issue of the Islamic State’s Russian-language online magazine.

The article in Istok, titled "Elvira Karaeva – Agent of the Russian Special Services," focuses on a woman whom ISIS in the Caucasus accused of being an agent of the Russian intelligence services.

According to the piece, Karaeva worked as a spy for four years, during which she secretly passed along information on the jihadi groups in the Caucasus, including locations and photographs of ISIS fighters.

The article notes that although Karaeva was questioned by ISIS's "investigative authorities," she was able to convince them of her innocence. But when the terror network used a "cunning investigative maneuver," the woman confessed and was later executed by an ISIS member, according to the article.

"Elvira the apostate gave information to the Russian special services about our brothers and sisters waging jihad in the patch of Allah in the Caucasus Province," the article says.

"She shamelessly wormed her way into the confidence of true servants of Allah and then disclosed their location and contacts, thus making them easy prey for the henchmen of taghut," the piece continues. "Because of her contemptible actions and close contacts with the FSB [i.e. the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation], many of our brothers and sisters became martyrs."

This photo, provided by MEMRI, shows Armiev Artur, left, one of the ISIS members the female Russian spy helped to kill, according to the terror network.

The woman was summoned for questioning more than once by the "investigating authorities" of the Caliphate, the piece notes.

"But every time she invented stories, twisting the facts. In her conversation with the investigators, she often lied and distorted the true meaning of events. Although our brothers had many valid reasons to detain her, they released her every time, trusting her word," the article says.

The woman -- whose identity has not been confirmed by Russia -- provided the Kremlin with the location of safe houses, secret bases, and positions of ISIS members, according to the terror network.

The article claims the woman was caught on an audio recording speaking about her role with the Russian intelligence services. It also says she was married to a jihadist, named Abu Muslim, whom she killed by poisoning.

"In total, the investigators proved Elvira's involvement in the martyrdom of six brothers and one sister; they are: Shakhbiev Adam, Abu Muslim, Amriev Artur, Gochiaev Biaslan, Totorkulov Temurlan, Dlugoborskiy Valentin, and Urusova Marina," the article states. "It is a fact that many more true servants of Allah were injured by Elvira Karaeva's vile acts."

Gochiyaev Biaslan, left, is another jihadist "betrayed" by Karaeva, ISIS said.

The fourth issue of Istok was released May 2 by ISIS's Al-Hayat Media Center and translated by MEMRI’s newly-launched Russian Media Studies Project, which released excerpts of the article in English on Monday.

Ramzan Kadyrov, acting head of the Chechen Republic, has not commented on the claims by the terror group. Kadyrov, who is Muslim, has been ruthless in the fight against ISIS, claiming special forces from his republic are fighting in Syria and that he has created a spy network targeting ISIS. He told the Russia 1 channel in February that "the republic's best fighters" were helping the Russian air assault on Syria.

In December, ISIS released a video online purporting to show a Russian jihadist beheading another Russian man accused of espionage.

The first part of the video shows a confession from the alleged spy who identifies himself as Khasiev Magomid, 23, from the Chechen city of Grozny.

He recounts how he was recruited by the FSB, Russia's intelligence services, and how he assumed the alias of Haroon when he traveled to Syria. He adds how he was tasked with collecting information on ISIS fighters of Russian origin and especially those who wanted to return to the Caucasus region and Russia to carry out attacks.

The recent article in Istok is the first mention of a female spy sent by Russia to infiltrate the terror network.