Israel Matzav

Turkey to reward or punish for raising money for al-Qada

Bulent Yildrim, a key member of the Turkish IHH terror group, is under investigation for allegedly raising money for al-Qaeda.

According to the Habertürk report, special prosecutors in both Istranbul and Diyarbakir are conducting separate investigations into claims that Yildirim has been secretly "providing financial aid to al-Qaida via his foundation."

The IHH, short for the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (Insani Yardim Vakfi), is an Islamic charity that was founded in the mid-90s to provide aid to Bosnia Muslims. Since then, it has been involved in charity operations in a number of Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq, Lebanon and aid missions to the Palestinian territories.

According to the Israeli NGO The Intelligence and Information Center, the IHH is affiliated with Hamas and the Union of the Good, an Islamic umbrella affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 2006, a report issued by the Danish Institute for International Studies stated that during the 1990s the IHH maintained links with al-Qaida and a number of "global jihad networks." The report also said that the Turkish government launched an investigation into the IHH starting December 1997 after receiving intelligence that the IHH had bought automatic weapons from Islamist terrorists.

The report said that following the revelation, the Turkish government launched a raid on the organization’s Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives, and instructions for bomb-making. The report added that an examination of documents found at the IHH office indicated that the group was planning to take part in terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Bosnia.

YNet adds:

Prosecutors claim to have evidence suggesting that efforts were made by the IHH to conduct the financial transactions sans the official numbering and identification needed for wire transfers.

...

[Yildirim] has recently been able negotiate the release of two Turkish journalists kidnapped in Syria, as well as the release of 11 Iranians last February that were kidnapped by the Free Syrian Army.

Given that it's Turkey, the real question is if they find that the IHH gave money to al-Qaeda, will they be punished or will they be made national heroes even more than they are already?

Labels: al-Qaeda, IHH, Islamic terrorism, Mavi Marmara, Turkey

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:55 PM