Less than a week after Abu Bakr al Baghdadi detonated himself rather than risk capture, the Islamic State named his successor. “We give our obedience to the commander of the faithful, the caliph of the Muslims, Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qurayshi, pledging to listen and obey, in times of delight and dislike, and in times of hardship and ease, and to do so selflessly,” the group’s new spokesman announced.

Little is known about al Qurayshi. The announcement omitted any biographic details, so even basics such as nationality, age, and previous role within ISIS are unknown. The demonym al Qurayshi suggests descent from the Prophet Muhammad’s family, but that could easily be a cynical ploy to buy religious legitimacy for a man who might not have arisen from such lofty stock. Such anonymity amplifies the aura of mystery around the new caliph, but is also practical: After Baghdadi’s death, security is paramount. The less external intelligence agencies know about al Qurayshi, assuming he is even a single person rather than a composite, the better for ISIS’s inner circle.