Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi blew himself up. How did the Americans determine so quickly that the remains were his own?
Complete DNA tests are still ongoing, but the first confirmation of the identity of the terrorist leader came almost immediately by combining the results of a biometric facial recognition test with those of a DNA test conducted with new generation machines. These are devices developed in recent years, following the controversy over the length of identification times for Osama Bin Laden’s body. They are the size of a microwave and can be transported by helicopter: their use is shrouded in mystery but would be used by special forces

How do the analyzes take place?
A drop of blood taken from the body allows to have reliable results on the identity of a person in 90 minutes if compared to that of a relative. According to the Washington Post citing a Pentagon source, the comparative material was voluntarily provided by one of Al Baghdadi’s daughters. Then there was a biometric test conducted on the head, which remained intact in the explosion. It has been compared to photos of Al Baghdadi

What happened to the body?
White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brian said that the same protocol as for Bin Laden was followed for the corpse. The remains would have already been scattered at sea, as was the case with the Al Qaeda leader

Why this protocol?
The Islamic tradition requires that the burial takes place within 24 hours, but considers that at sea inappropriate. At the time of Bin Laden religious and family members defined the decision to disperse the body at sea, taken not to transform the tomb into a pilgrimage destination, as an affront. Certainly the remains of Al Baghdadi were taken away by the Americans, while those of the two killed wives remained on the spot: they wore explosive belts and there was no time to defuse them

Did the jihadist leader die crying, as Trump said?
The newspapers raise doubts about the reconstruction. Trump said he saw everything from the Situation Room by comparing the experience to watching a movie. But Pentagon sources revealed that he would witness a soundless video. Defense Minister Mark Esper, also in the room, said he did not “know these details”.