Head of Syrian war crimes commission says Islamic State extremist leaders should face justice

UNITED NATIONS – The head of an independent commission on Syrian war crimes says commanders of the Islamic State extremist group are "good candidates" to be put on a confidential list of alleged perpetrators who should be brought to justice.

Brazilian diplomat and scholar Paulo Sergio Pinheiro says the Islamic State group, which now controls a swath of north and eastern Syria, has carried out public executions, crucifixions and other "gross human rights violations."

Pinheiro singled out the Sunni militant group when he provided details of the categories of people on the list to U.N. Security Council members and a group of journalists for the first time Friday.

The list is kept under lock and key by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.