The world’s most wanted man avoided a deadly airstrike in Iraq thanks to a bureaucratic dispute, it was claimed today. Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was attending a  nursery school in al-Qaim on the Iraq-Syria border, with senior aides and dozens of men set to pledge allegiance to him. An elite Iraqi intelligence unit known as the ‘Falcons cell’ were aware of this thanks to their sources, and the Iraqi air force were ordered to strike the school – but the defence ministry did nothing. Scroll down for video . Target: Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured) was attending  a nursery school in al-Qaim, Iraq, with senior aides and dozens of men set to pledge allegiance to him . Officials were reluctant to act after the Falcons did not reveal their target’s identity - before the office of the Prime Minister became involved one hour later, reported The Sunday Times. However by then Baghdadi had left the meeting, and Iraqi fighter jets were instead forced to target a moving convoy of vehicles – not knowing which vehicle he was inside. One of the cell’s leaders said: ‘The strike should have killed Baghdadi if it had happened on time, but we weren't able to reveal the target and the fighter jets moved late.’ The newspaper’s report, by Ali Hashem of Lebanon TV station Al-Mayadeen, told how ten vehicles were destroyed - but Baghdadi was injured in the head and stomach before being taken to safety. Location: An elite Iraqi intelligence unit known as the ‘Falcons cell’ were aware of this thanks to their sources, and the Iraqi air force were ordered to strike the school in al-Qaim, on the Iraq-Syria border . The strike last November - which was reported by MailOnline - saw an aircraft swoop over the meeting of ISIS figures and kill more than a dozen people, according to local government sources. The Falcons intelligence cell is an elite anti-terrorism unit that works under the Iraqi Prime Minister, based in a secret bunker in Baghdad. The group is in charge of charge of counter-terrorism activity in Iraq, and is currently targeting a number of ISIS leaders. A leader from the elite cell - who gave the pseudonym of Major Bakr - insisted that it was 'very close' to getting their target, Baghdadi. The Falcons group was previously in the news in 2013 when its officials issued a letter stating Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Al Qaeda group the Nusra Front in Syria, had sought to kidnap United Nations workers. Another witness said that eight people had died when a bomb hit a market. A nearby hospital was said to be overwhelmed with the volume of patients from the raid - including Baghdadi. Local ISIS officials were reportedly roaming the streets ordering residents to donate blood to help the wounded. Striking Baghdadi would have been a significant blow in the campaign against ISIS. Al-Qaim and the neighbouring Syrian town of Albukamal are on a strategic supply route linking territory held by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Baghdadi, who declared himself leader of all the world's Muslims in a televised speech last year, was formerly a prisoner of the US during their occupation of Iraq. The shady figure was eventually released, and rose through the ranks of the jihadist groups which eventually united to form ISIS. World’s most-wanted man: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi . The world’s most-wanted man was an impressive footballer known as ‘Maradona’ by inmates at a US detention camp. American forces detained Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at Camp Bucca in 2005 shortly after the Iraq invasion for four years - and he ‘amazed’ others there with his football skills, an ex-inmate said. Baghdadi also used to play for his mosque’s team, with one former acquaintance telling The Sunday Times: ‘He was obsessed with scoring goals - he would turn nervous if he didn’t.’ After his time at Camp Bucca, Baghdadi – who has a PhD in Islamic history - emerged as one of the most brutal terrorists in the world. US officials put a $10million (£6.7million) bounty on his head four years ago when intelligence identified his movements as critically dangerous. This warrant was publicised once more following the beheadings of US nationals James Foley and Steven Sotloff as well as Britons David Haines and Alan Henning. He maintained a low profile for months as ISIS rose to global infamy and even Al Qaeda denounced them as 'too extreme'. But last July he revealed himself to the public with a speech, filmed and posted on YouTube.
ISIS leader was attending nursery school in al-Qaim on Iraq-Syria border .
He was meeting with senior aides and dozens of men pledging allegiance .
Elite Iraqi intelligence unit 'Falcons cell' ordered Iraqi air force to strike .
But defence ministry didn't act after Falcons didn't reveal target's identity .
Office of Prime Minister then became involved - but not for another hour .
But by then Baghdadi had left meeting and Iraqi jets hit moving convoy .
Didn't know which vehicle contained Baghdadi, who escaped with injuries .
The world’s most wanted man avoided a deadly airstrike in Iraq thanks to a bureaucratic dispute, it was claimed today. Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was attending a nursery school in al-Qaim on the Iraq-Syria border, with senior aides and dozens of men set to pledge allegiance to him. An elite Iraqi intelligence unit known as the ‘Falcons cell’ were aware of this thanks to their sources, and the Iraqi air force were ordered to strike the school – but the defence ministry did nothing. Scroll down for video . Target: Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured) was attending  a nursery school in al-Qaim, Iraq, with senior aides and dozens of men set to pledge allegiance to him . Officials were reluctant to act after the Falcons did not reveal their target’s identity - before the office of the Prime Minister became involved one hour later, reported The Sunday Times. However by then Baghdadi had left the meeting, and Iraqi fighter jets were instead forced to target a moving convoy of vehicles – not knowing which vehicle he was inside. One of the cell’s leaders said: ‘The strike should have killed Baghdadi if it had happened on time, but we weren't able to reveal the target and the fighter jets moved late.’ The newspaper’s report, by Ali Hashem of Lebanon TV station Al-Mayadeen, told how ten vehicles were destroyed - but Baghdadi was injured in the head and stomach before being taken to safety. Location: An elite Iraqi intelligence unit known as the ‘Falcons cell’ were aware of this thanks to their sources, and the Iraqi air force were ordered to strike the school in al-Qaim, on the Iraq-Syria border . The strike last November - which was reported by MailOnline - saw an aircraft swoop over the meeting of ISIS figures and kill more than a dozen people, according to local government sources. The Falcons intelligence cell is an elite anti-terrorism unit that works under the Iraqi Prime Minister, based in a secret bunker in Baghdad. The group is in charge of charge of counter-terrorism activity in Iraq, and is currently targeting a number of ISIS leaders. A leader from the elite cell - who gave the pseudonym of Major Bakr - insisted that it was 'very close' to getting their target, Baghdadi. The Falcons group was previously in the news in 2013 when its officials issued a letter stating Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Al Qaeda group the Nusra Front in Syria, had sought to kidnap United Nations workers. Another witness said that eight people had died when a bomb hit a market. A nearby hospital was said to be overwhelmed with the volume of patients from the raid - including Baghdadi. Local ISIS officials were reportedly roaming the streets ordering residents to donate blood to help the wounded. Striking Baghdadi would have been a significant blow in the campaign against ISIS. Al-Qaim and the neighbouring Syrian town of Albukamal are on a strategic supply route linking territory held by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Baghdadi, who declared himself leader of all the world's Muslims in a televised speech last year, was formerly a prisoner of the US during their occupation of Iraq. The shady figure was eventually released, and rose through the ranks of the jihadist groups which eventually united to form ISIS. World’s most-wanted man: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi . The world’s most-wanted man was an impressive footballer known as ‘Maradona’ by inmates at a US detention camp. American forces detained Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at Camp Bucca in 2005 shortly after the Iraq invasion for four years - and he ‘amazed’ others there with his football skills, an ex-inmate said. Baghdadi also used to play for his mosque’s team, with one former acquaintance telling The Sunday Times: ‘He was obsessed with scoring goals - he would turn nervous if he didn’t.’ After his time at Camp Bucca, Baghdadi – who has a PhD in Islamic history - emerged as one of the most brutal terrorists in the world. US officials put a $10million (£6.7million) bounty on his head four years ago when intelligence identified his movements as critically dangerous. This warrant was publicised once more following the beheadings of US nationals James Foley and Steven Sotloff as well as Britons David Haines and Alan Henning. He maintained a low profile for months as ISIS rose to global infamy and even Al Qaeda denounced them as 'too extreme'. But last July he revealed himself to the public with a speech, filmed and posted on YouTube.
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was attending a nursery school in al-Qaim on the Iraq-Syria border, with senior aides and dozens of men set intelligence unit known as the ‘Falcons cell’ the Iraqi air force were ordered to strike the school – but the defence ministry did nothing. target’s identity - before the office of the Prime Minister became involved one hour later, reported The Sunday Times. However by then Baghdadi had left the meeting, and Iraqi fighter convoy of vehicles – not knowing which vehicle he