According to Arabic news sources, the Al-Qaeda jihadist leader of the al-Nusra Front in Syria, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, was caught trying to escape Syria by dressing up completely in drag.
Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani was reported to have been wearing full makeup and women’s clothing when he was captured by the Syrian military while attempting to flee to Lebanon. He managing to successfully cross several checkpoints in disguise as a woman before being arrested.
The article sources (Albadee.net, ALSJL.com) could of course be propaganda tactics by Assad to discredit al-Jawlani, but before we toss the story out entirely, there are many precedents for this kind of thing in the Arab world.
Below are just a few examples from a quick search:
Al Qaeda in Drag
Kenya Terrorists ‘Were Dressed Up As Women’
Terrorists in Drag: Bombs Beneath the Burqa
Police chasing burka-wearing terror suspect ‘took 48 hours’ to quiz local taxi firms despite fearing he had used a cab to flee mosque
Red Mosque leader captured while trying to escape … in a burqa
Senior Leader of Al Qaeda Group Captured While Dressed as Woman
Rebels Dressed as Women Attack Iraqi Police Station
Apparently being gay is punishable by death and an immodestly dressed woman should be punished by rape, but a man who dresses up as a woman is perfectly OK, as long as he is trying to escape or kill someone.
Go figure.
