CAIRO, April 8. /TASS/. Arabian media have reported Wednesday about ties between Islamic State (IS) extremist group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the US. The reports appeared in response to US Senator John McCain’s attempts to deny his communication with al-Baghdadi.

The main evidence is the picture taken in 2013 in Syria, where Senator McCain met with opposition representatives whom the US supported in their fight against Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Elaph newspaper published an article titled "Photo of A-Baghdadi and McCain Adds Uncertainty to Relations between Washington and IS," stating that the American politician held talks with al-Baghdadi at the meeting with the Syrian opposition. Elaph noted that the photo triggered an "uproar" in social networks, with users claiming it provides a significant proof that there is secret connection between the US and the Islamist leader. Internet users say that the US, declaring the group its enemy number one in public, in reality provides financial and surveillance assistance to IS. Some users even go as far as claiming that the Islamic State, like al-Qaeda, was created by Americans.