Charges filed in death of Kayla Mueller

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - There are new developments in the death of Kayla Mueller, the Prescott woman who was killed last year while in ISIS captivity. The U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against the wife of a former ISIS leader.

The ISIS leader has been charged in federal court with contributing to the death of American hostage Kayla Mueller, an aid worker from Prescott.

The charges were announced against 25-year-old Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar known as Umm Sayyaf. The complaint says Sayyaf was involved in the conspiracy that led to Mueller's death. Mueller was killed a little over a year ago in Syria while doing relief work.

The affidavit says Sayyaf admitted after she was captured last May, that she and her husband Abu Sayyaf held Muller hostage along with several other young female hostages. Umm Sayyaf is currently in Iraqi custody and facing prosecution there. It's unclear whether she will be brought to the U.S. to stand trial.

Her husband who was the Minister of Oil and Gas for ISIS was killed last May in a raid on his compound.

The head of the Justice Department's National Security Division said the charges show the U.S. Justice System will pursue those who harm U.S. citizens abroad and will continue to pursue justice for Kayla.