High-level Turkish whistleblower reveals state sponsorship of Islamic State
Posted on September 17, 2016 by Editorial Staff in 1 Top News, Kurdistan
Illustrative photo of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Ekurd.net/Reuters
[size=11]Ed Sykes | The Canary[/size]
A former high-level official in Turkey is speaking out about government sponsorship of Daesh (Isis/Isil) and other terrorist groups.
Ahmet Sait Yayla was on the front line of Turkey’s intervention in the Syrian conflict. He was Chief of the Counter-Terrorism and Operations Division of Turkey’s National Police from 2010 to 2012. But after witnessing Turkish state collusion with Daesh, he chose to speak out, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of deliberately sponsoring the group.
Since starting to blow the whistle on this relationship, Yayla’s family has been targeted. After July’s failed coup attempt – which mounting evidence suggests was actually “staged” by Erdoğan’s regime, his 19-year-old son was arrested, and other members of his family had their passports cancelled. All because of the explosive information he was revealing.
The Canary has now seen exclusive interview transcripts obtained by INSURGE Intelligence – a summary of which is given below.
Backing for jihadis under the veil of charity
One of Yayla’s biggest allegations is that Turkish intelligence actively armed and supported jihadi groups in Syria.
In 2014, allegations were made that ammunition and weapons had been found in trucks supposedly transporting aid from the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) into Syria. This non-governmental organisation allegedly had the support of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT).
In his interview with INSURGE, Yayla alleges that IHH is integrated into Turkey’s sponsorship of terror groups.
He states that IHH has long been a key partner of the Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TIKA) – the official government aid agency , and that the main contact for the IHH was Hakan Fidan (MİT chief since 2010). Fidan was a prime suspect in a number of targeted assassinations of left-wing intellectuals, journalists, and human rights advocates in the 1990s. And the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks had links to Turkish Hizbollah (TH) – a right-wing group which emerged in the 1980s and was allegedly controlled by Turkish armed forces from the very beginning. (Note that a key Daesh figure in Turkey today, Halis Bayancuk, is the son of a founding member of TH.)
Though a wanted man, Fidan returned from self-imposed exile after Erdoğan’s AKP party took power in 2002. His ‘wanted’ status soon disappeared.
During counter-terrorism investigations, Yayla says, evidence showed that the IHH was “behind much of the support to ISIS” coming from Turkey, with several hundred supply trucks being sent into Syria from 2012 onwards.
But the IHH wasn’t the only group supporting jihadis in Syria. Yayla, who had unrestricted access to relevant police records at the time, says:
“The MİT openly carried weapons and explosives to Syria by truck as well as by actual fighters being transported by buses, several times. Some of them were caught by Turkish police… [and] drivers openly admitted that [the] MİT had hired them to transport those terrorists and foreign fighters.”
Head to head with government-Daesh collusion
Yayla also speaks of how the Governor of Şanlıurfa – a city near the Turkish-Syrian border – openly spoke to jihadi groups in front of him. He explains how, from 2013 to 2014:
“ISIS fighters were being brought across the border into Şanlıurfa to be treated in Turkish hospitals. As chief of police, I was being asked by the governor to send my officers to provide 24/7 protection for those wounded terrorists… No one charged any money for the treatment.”
This happened until 2015, when increasing pressure from the US to join the fight against Daesh, along with a number of anti-jihadi successes in northern Syria, led Erdoğan to make a political shift to all-out war against his secular enemies at home and abroad.
By then, Yayla had already been pushed out of these operations for his failure to fall in line, being moved by the Governor from counter-terrorism to the Public Order and Investigations Department.
Police prevented from arresting terrorists
But even in a different department, Yayla entered into conflict with the Turkish political establishment. In Şanlıurfa, he says:
“Basically, the police were not allowed to stop ISIS inside the city… Turkish counter-terrorism officers would reach out to our officers through direct phone contact and tell them to just release the terrorists.”
He also insists that:
“Erdoğan had in 2015 assigned [now leader of Daesh operations in Turkey, Halis] Bayancuk 24/7 police protection.”
Senior detectives following suspected terrorists, meanwhile, would be told by the counter-terrorism department: “Don’t stop them, it’s not your job.” And they’d then be investigated themselves.
In the city of Gaziantep, close to the Turkish-Syrian border, Yayla speaks of how Daesh had a massive “logistical support base”. Once also a base for TH and al-Qaeda, thousands of uniforms were made there, there were “huge apartments filled with jihadists”, and fighters would “go back and forth across the border freely”.
This consciously blind eye from the government saw Daesh ramp up its activities and attacks in Turkey. But with some police officers not on board with this collusion, Erdoğan needed a crackdown. And the July coup was a perfect opportunity to do this.
Why has Turkey backed Daesh?
Yayla says: “For Erdoğan, political Islam is merely a useful tool to consolidate his support base in Turkey. And it is now his main tool to use against all domestic opposition to his rule – in particular the Kurds, who are a potent fighting force against ISIS.”
Victory for Kurdish-led defence militias over Daesh in northern Syria in early 2015 set off a chain of events that saw Erdoğan finally abandon a promising peace process with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in July 2015. Terror attacks on Turkish soil aimed at left-wing and Kurdish activists increased, and President Erdoğan launched a destructive and divisive offensive on Kurdish communities. The aim, apparently, was to undermine the budding popularity of left-wing secularism in Kurdish communities in both Syria and Turkey, and to keep the border open in order to influence the outcome of the Syrian conflict in a way acceptable to Erdoğan’s regime.
For Erdoğan, allowing Kurdish political autonomy in Turkey or on the Syrian side of the border could lead to a loss of power on the Turkish border with Iran, Iraq, and Syria – a loss that would seriously undermine his regional political ambitions. This is why he’s gone to such great lengths to stop the growth of Kurdish-led secularism.
If Yayla’s assertions are to be believed, we now have yet more evidence that Erdoğan’s regime has armed and supported Daesh for years. Yet more evidence that Western citizens and their governments ignore at their own peril.
Get Involved!
– See the full interview and investigation by The Canary’s Global Editor Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, published later today at INSURGE Intelligence.
– Read more Canary articles on Turkey, Syria, Rojava (a Kurdish-led revolution in northern Syria), and more international reporting from us at The Canary Global.
– Ask the Prime Minister and your MP to urge the Turkish regime to resume peace talks with its Kurdish communities and focus its efforts on defeating Daesh and other jihadi forces within its borders.
http://ekurd.net/turkish-islamic-sponsorship-2016-09-17
Posted on September 17, 2016 by Editorial Staff in 1 Top News, Kurdistan
Illustrative photo of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Ekurd.net/Reuters
[size=11]Ed Sykes | The Canary[/size]
A former high-level official in Turkey is speaking out about government sponsorship of Daesh (Isis/Isil) and other terrorist groups.
Ahmet Sait Yayla was on the front line of Turkey’s intervention in the Syrian conflict. He was Chief of the Counter-Terrorism and Operations Division of Turkey’s National Police from 2010 to 2012. But after witnessing Turkish state collusion with Daesh, he chose to speak out, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of deliberately sponsoring the group.
Since starting to blow the whistle on this relationship, Yayla’s family has been targeted. After July’s failed coup attempt – which mounting evidence suggests was actually “staged” by Erdoğan’s regime, his 19-year-old son was arrested, and other members of his family had their passports cancelled. All because of the explosive information he was revealing.
The Canary has now seen exclusive interview transcripts obtained by INSURGE Intelligence – a summary of which is given below.
Backing for jihadis under the veil of charity
One of Yayla’s biggest allegations is that Turkish intelligence actively armed and supported jihadi groups in Syria.
In 2014, allegations were made that ammunition and weapons had been found in trucks supposedly transporting aid from the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) into Syria. This non-governmental organisation allegedly had the support of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MİT).
In his interview with INSURGE, Yayla alleges that IHH is integrated into Turkey’s sponsorship of terror groups.
He states that IHH has long been a key partner of the Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TIKA) – the official government aid agency , and that the main contact for the IHH was Hakan Fidan (MİT chief since 2010). Fidan was a prime suspect in a number of targeted assassinations of left-wing intellectuals, journalists, and human rights advocates in the 1990s. And the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks had links to Turkish Hizbollah (TH) – a right-wing group which emerged in the 1980s and was allegedly controlled by Turkish armed forces from the very beginning. (Note that a key Daesh figure in Turkey today, Halis Bayancuk, is the son of a founding member of TH.)
Though a wanted man, Fidan returned from self-imposed exile after Erdoğan’s AKP party took power in 2002. His ‘wanted’ status soon disappeared.
During counter-terrorism investigations, Yayla says, evidence showed that the IHH was “behind much of the support to ISIS” coming from Turkey, with several hundred supply trucks being sent into Syria from 2012 onwards.
But the IHH wasn’t the only group supporting jihadis in Syria. Yayla, who had unrestricted access to relevant police records at the time, says:
“The MİT openly carried weapons and explosives to Syria by truck as well as by actual fighters being transported by buses, several times. Some of them were caught by Turkish police… [and] drivers openly admitted that [the] MİT had hired them to transport those terrorists and foreign fighters.”
Head to head with government-Daesh collusion
Yayla also speaks of how the Governor of Şanlıurfa – a city near the Turkish-Syrian border – openly spoke to jihadi groups in front of him. He explains how, from 2013 to 2014:
“ISIS fighters were being brought across the border into Şanlıurfa to be treated in Turkish hospitals. As chief of police, I was being asked by the governor to send my officers to provide 24/7 protection for those wounded terrorists… No one charged any money for the treatment.”
This happened until 2015, when increasing pressure from the US to join the fight against Daesh, along with a number of anti-jihadi successes in northern Syria, led Erdoğan to make a political shift to all-out war against his secular enemies at home and abroad.
By then, Yayla had already been pushed out of these operations for his failure to fall in line, being moved by the Governor from counter-terrorism to the Public Order and Investigations Department.
Police prevented from arresting terrorists
But even in a different department, Yayla entered into conflict with the Turkish political establishment. In Şanlıurfa, he says:
“Basically, the police were not allowed to stop ISIS inside the city… Turkish counter-terrorism officers would reach out to our officers through direct phone contact and tell them to just release the terrorists.”
He also insists that:
“Erdoğan had in 2015 assigned [now leader of Daesh operations in Turkey, Halis] Bayancuk 24/7 police protection.”
Senior detectives following suspected terrorists, meanwhile, would be told by the counter-terrorism department: “Don’t stop them, it’s not your job.” And they’d then be investigated themselves.
In the city of Gaziantep, close to the Turkish-Syrian border, Yayla speaks of how Daesh had a massive “logistical support base”. Once also a base for TH and al-Qaeda, thousands of uniforms were made there, there were “huge apartments filled with jihadists”, and fighters would “go back and forth across the border freely”.
This consciously blind eye from the government saw Daesh ramp up its activities and attacks in Turkey. But with some police officers not on board with this collusion, Erdoğan needed a crackdown. And the July coup was a perfect opportunity to do this.
Why has Turkey backed Daesh?
Yayla says: “For Erdoğan, political Islam is merely a useful tool to consolidate his support base in Turkey. And it is now his main tool to use against all domestic opposition to his rule – in particular the Kurds, who are a potent fighting force against ISIS.”
Victory for Kurdish-led defence militias over Daesh in northern Syria in early 2015 set off a chain of events that saw Erdoğan finally abandon a promising peace process with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in July 2015. Terror attacks on Turkish soil aimed at left-wing and Kurdish activists increased, and President Erdoğan launched a destructive and divisive offensive on Kurdish communities. The aim, apparently, was to undermine the budding popularity of left-wing secularism in Kurdish communities in both Syria and Turkey, and to keep the border open in order to influence the outcome of the Syrian conflict in a way acceptable to Erdoğan’s regime.
For Erdoğan, allowing Kurdish political autonomy in Turkey or on the Syrian side of the border could lead to a loss of power on the Turkish border with Iran, Iraq, and Syria – a loss that would seriously undermine his regional political ambitions. This is why he’s gone to such great lengths to stop the growth of Kurdish-led secularism.
If Yayla’s assertions are to be believed, we now have yet more evidence that Erdoğan’s regime has armed and supported Daesh for years. Yet more evidence that Western citizens and their governments ignore at their own peril.
Get Involved!
– See the full interview and investigation by The Canary’s Global Editor Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, published later today at INSURGE Intelligence.
– Read more Canary articles on Turkey, Syria, Rojava (a Kurdish-led revolution in northern Syria), and more international reporting from us at The Canary Global.
– Ask the Prime Minister and your MP to urge the Turkish regime to resume peace talks with its Kurdish communities and focus its efforts on defeating Daesh and other jihadi forces within its borders.
http://ekurd.net/turkish-islamic-sponsorship-2016-09-17
Today at 7:46 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/28/24 Iraq Dinar - IQD - Banks - Merge Regionally - Water - Labor -Jobs - Dinar Value
Today at 7:45 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The water situation in Iraq is not in the best condition.. Aboul Gheit extends an invitat
Today at 7:34 am by Rocky
» The Sudanese advisor explains... Has the 2024 budget entered into force?
Today at 7:23 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi Central Bank announces the strengthening of banks’ external accounts by $260 million
Today at 7:21 am by Rocky
» Economist: The path of development is the first gateway to sustainable economic advancement in Iraq
Today at 7:20 am by Rocky
» The green economy and diversity... major projects and challenges that will reap their fruits later -
Today at 7:16 am by Rocky
» Behind the scenes of the state administration meeting: The regional government supports Sudanese wit
Today at 7:14 am by Rocky
» The Real Estate Registry begins activating the electronic restrictions management system program
Today at 7:11 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani confirms from Riyadh the possibility of cooperation with the German technology company (SA
Today at 7:08 am by Rocky
» On top of which is the path of development.. Al-Awadi announces the most prominent files that the Pr
Today at 6:54 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic receives the President of the International Labor Organization
Today at 6:49 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: This week will witness funding the salaries of employees in the Kurdistan Reg
Today at 6:48 am by Rocky
» On an experimental basis... Justice announces the start of activating the electronic barriers manage
Today at 6:46 am by Rocky
» Obelisk Hour: The economic provisions in the strategic framework agreement need to be activated
Today at 6:44 am by Rocky
» Before self-sufficiency... 80 percent of citizens' need for gasoline will be met soon
Today at 6:41 am by Rocky
» A deputy reveals the features of the "five-year plan" to revive Iraqi agriculture
Today at 6:39 am by Rocky
» Deputy: We opened the Council of Ministers to decide the salary scale
Today at 6:38 am by Rocky
» Iraq doubles its investments in modern irrigation engineering by no less than 20%
Today at 6:36 am by Rocky
» Confirming to Shafaq News... The Sudanese arrives in Saudi Arabia to participate in the World Econom
Today at 6:31 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani announces that clues have been found leading to those involved in the Kormor bombing
Today at 6:29 am by Rocky
» Special: Deconstructing the mystery of the repeated targeting of the Kormor field
Today at 6:28 am by Rocky
» Increase in foreign remittance sales at the Central Bank of Iraq
Today at 6:27 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki: The salaries of the region’s employees are continuing, and there will be solutions to del
Today at 6:26 am by Rocky
» Minister of Resources: Iraq is one of the countries most affected by climate change
Today at 5:29 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani arrives in Riyadh to participate in the World Economic Forum
Today at 5:27 am by Rocky
» An Arab call to the countries neighboring Iraq regarding the share of water
Today at 5:26 am by Rocky
» IMF: Poor productivity is responsible for 50% of the decline in economic growth
Today at 5:20 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic stresses to Barzani the importance of focusing on construction, recons
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Will Iran lose the Iraqi market? 20 million dollars is threatened with loss
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Economy: Parliament will extend the legislative term to approve the budget
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» The price of the dollar is close to 145 thousand dinars؛ how much is $100 worth of transactions؟
Today at 5:13 am by wciappetta
» A factory for producing electric cars
Today at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: We have launched strategies to improve the conditions of workers
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Economic prospects from America to Türkiye
Today at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Al-Rayes: The path of development is the first gateway to sustainable economic advancement
Today at 5:08 am by Rocky
» Days after announcing the connection with Jordan, an almost complete absence of electricity in Ramad
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» A Kurdistan delegation meets with the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad to discuss “revenues and implem
Today at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Economy reviews files and the importance of Sudanese’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki talks about postponing the Kurdistan Parliament elections and says that salary transfers w
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic and Barzani discuss the results of Sudanese’s visit to the United Stat
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» The Ministry of Finance is "dizzy"... An expert points out a "lapse" in the budget schedules: Februa
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» Sudanese Advisor: The 2024 budget has entered into force... and there is no need to send its schedul
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi dinar is recovering against the US dollar in local markets
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Iraq.. The claim that OPEC’s decisions affect oil derivatives only and not crude is “inaccurate”
Today at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Al-Bawi: Erdogan failed in his promises to his people and seeks to plunge Iraq into its conflict wit
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» The Sudanese and his battle against corruption.. Where is the fault with the government or with the
Today at 4:36 am by Rocky
» Amnesty International criticizes Iraq's implementation of 13 death sentences
Today at 4:34 am by Rocky
» The ambassador is very angry with Parliament: The homosexuality law obstructs the government and har
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Al-Mandalawi: There is no place for homosexuality in the Iraq of the prophets and saints, and that i
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani receives the President of the University: Towards the strength and status of the Arab syst
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Ayed Al-Hilali: All leaders are discussing “the finer details of Sudanese” tonight, and Barzani join
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» He announced the reception of offers from three alliances from international companies for the Baghd
Today at 4:28 am by Rocky
» During his meeting with the head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate... Al-Amiri stresses the importa
Today at 4:26 am by Rocky
» To address the dollar exchange rate... Mazhar Muhammad explains the risks of floating the Iraqi dina
Today at 4:25 am by Rocky
» During the launch of the Arab Labor Conference in its 50th session in Baghdad... Al-Sudani: We launc
Today at 4:24 am by Rocky
» Saudi Arabia announces an increase in direct flights with Iraq
Today at 4:23 am by Rocky
» Resources: Government measures have contributed to improving the water situation in Iraq
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Al-Sadr: The voice of American universities calling for an end to Zionist terrorism is our voice
Today at 4:21 am by Rocky
» International organization: 50% of displaced Iraqis lack official documents
Today at 4:20 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The path of development will provide many job opportunities
Today at 4:19 am by Rocky
» Parliament Finance: The necessity of converting tax and customs revenues to digital processing
Today at 4:18 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani announces that clues have been found to uncover those involved in the Kormor bombing
Today at 4:16 am by Rocky
» The start of the work of the Fourth Baghdad International Water Conference
Today at 4:09 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers will suspend official working hours next Wednesday
Today at 4:07 am by Rocky
» An almost complete outage of water and electricity in western Anbar
Today at 4:06 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary expectations of extending the legislative term to approve the budget
Today at 4:00 am by Rocky
» Education: The cost of participating in the electronic school will amount to 200 thousand dinars
Today at 3:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani arrives in Riyadh to participate in the World Economic Forum
Today at 3:58 am by Rocky
» A newspaper reveals a dark world that brings together bloggers and politicians
Today at 3:57 am by Rocky
» Al-Marsoumi: The bombing of the Kormor field undermined efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in gas
Today at 3:55 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/24/24 Support - USA- Turkey - Timing- Currency Value - Tabled
Yesterday at 2:18 pm by Rocky
» Parliamentary efforts to transform Iraq into a global market for transferring Internet capacities
Yesterday at 2:07 pm by Rocky
» A parliamentary committee that enriches the political forces: Stop plundering Iraq’s wealth and work
Yesterday at 1:56 pm by Rocky
» Politician: Salem Al-Issawi is the most likely to assume the presidency of Parliament
Yesterday at 1:55 pm by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The world today is witnessing crises whose impact has been reflected in the global econo
Yesterday at 9:50 am by Rocky
» The Federal Court responds to an inquiry by Al-Sudani regarding the powers of the provincial council
Yesterday at 9:40 am by Rocky
» Among them are the Iraqis... a list of the most sought-after immigrants to America
Yesterday at 9:38 am by Rocky
» An expert talks about the "biggest barrier" and the positives of merging Iraqi and Arab banks
Yesterday at 9:29 am by Rocky
» The House of Representatives adjourns its session
Yesterday at 9:24 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary demands to expedite the legislation of the Eid al-Ghadir holiday law (documents)
Yesterday at 9:23 am by Rocky
» Parliament adds the paragraph “Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives” to its agenda
Yesterday at 9:21 am by Rocky
» Alsumaria publishes the text of the law against prostitution and homosexuality
Yesterday at 9:20 am by Rocky
» A parliamentarian reveals the reason for the failure of the Speaker of Parliament to pass during tod
Yesterday at 9:19 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The government has launched many strategies and initiatives that will improve the reality
Yesterday at 8:42 am by Rocky
» International Business: Iraq has made progress in supporting businesses through investment and priva
Yesterday at 8:33 am by Rocky
» Association of Banks: Iraq is witnessing great development in the transition to electronic governmen
Yesterday at 8:25 am by Rocky
» The House of Representatives votes to add an item to its agenda (election of the Speaker of the Hous
Yesterday at 8:22 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary integrity: Combating corruption requires parliamentary legislation
Yesterday at 8:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Karaawi: America is trying to restrict Iraq
Yesterday at 8:13 am by Rocky
» The State of Law coalition moves to form the local government in Diyala
Yesterday at 8:12 am by Rocky
» The Sudanese and his battle against corruption.. Where is the fault with the government or with the
Yesterday at 8:11 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister's Advisor: We will see the dollar fall on the black market soon
Yesterday at 8:09 am by Rocky
» The Sunni blocs are resolute. The presidency of the Council is ours, away from Al-Halbousi
Yesterday at 8:08 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani discusses with a workers’ organization his government’s steps in this field
Yesterday at 7:58 am by Rocky
» Parliament holds its session in the presence of 170 deputies
Yesterday at 7:57 am by Rocky
» In the presence of Nechirvan Barzani and Al-Sudani... the State Administration Coalition holds an “i
Yesterday at 7:55 am by Rocky
» The UAE company ADNOC resorts to Iraqi oil. Find out the reasons
Yesterday at 7:53 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi Parliament votes to add an item to elect a president to its agenda
Yesterday at 7:52 am by Rocky