The files could aid in tracking down and prosecuting members of the militant group, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.
Earlier, Britain's Sky News reported that files detailing names, contact information, places of origin and recruitment information of jihadists were obtained by the broadcaster from a disillusioned former fighter.
Files on memory stick
The man — who identified himself to Sky News as Abu Hamed — said he stole a memory stick containing the files from the head of Islamic State's internal security police. He says he quit the terrorist organization because it no longer followed Islamic rules. Hamed told a Sky News reporter he hoped the files would help bring down the organization.
The files are believed to be a collection of recruitment data on jihadists from 51 countries and include 23 questions recruits have to answer to be inducted into IS. Sky News reported the files contain the names of previously unknown extremists.
Authenticity doubts
Questions, however, are being raised about the authenticity of the documents. Analysts told the French news agency, AFP, the files contained inconsistencies, noting unusual language and logos in the documents that are usually the mark of forgeries.
"There would be big alarm bells for me, because when I've seen inconsistencies like that in the past, they've been on really shoddily-made forgeries," Charlie Winter, a researcher at Georgia State University, told AFP.
Syrian opposition website Zaman al-Wasl also noted there were thousands of repetitions in the files.
German police are currently evaluating the files.
British Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman, using an alternative name for Islamic State, told reporters Thursday, "What's important now is that the authorities can look at how this information can be used in the fight against Daesh and if it can, then we welcome that."
[Katherine Gypson - voanews.com]
10/3/16
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