The chief U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad didn’t set out to comment on the first point of Donald Trump’s three-point plan to defeat the Islamic State, but in a briefing Friday picked up on Trump’s convention speech theme of having “absolutely the best gathering of intelligence anywhere in the world.”
Army Col. Chris Garver told Pentagon reporters in a video briefing from Baghdad that captured documents and computer files are providing an intelligence bonanza.
“More than 10,000 items, including more than four terabytes of digital information, have been seized and are being examined to exploit the information,” Garver said.
The sheer volume of intelligence is presenting a challenge to U.S. analysts, but is also providing new insights about the Islamic State’s organization and operations at all levels.
“We’ve learned about how they organize their governance structures to ensure they can completely control all aspects of daily life, from religious practice, to education to tax collection and management of central services,” Garver said.
And importantly, the treasure trove of documents and data is revealing the methods and routes used by the Islamic State to smuggle people in and out out Syria.
Garver said that is providing “valuable insight into stopping the flow of foreign fighters into the region.”
