Military & War How ISIS Got Its Leader What’s known about Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, or ISIS? How did he become an important figure in the group? And who engineered his rise to power? FRONTLINE’s Martin Smith talks to Richard Barrett, a counterterrorism expert with the Soufan Group. You can watch this entire episode of Frontline here. Share This Previous ArticleHEAVY METAL PARKING LOT Next ArticleHow to Make Pumpkin Soup October 31, 2014