Tag Archives: Turkey

The Department of Defense Almost Gets it Right on Jihad

1 OctpmThu, 17 Oct 2019 15:09:14 -06002019-10-17T15:09:14-06:0003 2009 – 15:09

posted by Christopher W. Holton

The news has been dominated recently by the withdrawal of U.S. special operations advisers from northern Syria ahead of the Turkish invasion of the region.

Those advisers were primarily charged with training and assisting indigenous forces in battling Islamic State jihadists, who, despite reports to the contrary, are still very much active in the area.

The Department of Defense released a statement emphasizing that the withdrawal does not mean that U.S. forces have abandoned the fight against the Islamic State:

U.S. Will Continue Defeat-ISIS Campaign, Official Says

The United States will continue its campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria from outside Syria, said a senior defense official…

“The Defeat-ISIS campaign will continue,” the official said. “The enduring defeat of ISIS remains one of our top security priorities. We have significant assets and personnel as well as coalition capabilities throughout the region that will continue to prosecute that campaign.”

Here is the most important part of the DOD statement. I don’t agree with the terminology, but the substance is important:

It is important to remember that ISIS is not just a Middle East/Central Asia phenomenon. The terror group is attempting to foment extremism in many other areas including Somalia, Niger, Southeast Asia, the Philippines and elsewhere.

This statement is important because it acknowledges the fact (without coming right out and saying so) that we are in a global jihadist insurgency. The Islamic State was not defeated when its caliphate was rolled up in Syria and Iraq. Its affiliates operate in West Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia (most likely referring to Thailand), the Philippines (where just a few years ago ISIS took over an entire medium-sized city for months) and elsewhere.

What is meant by “elsewhere?”

We can’t be sure what DOD means by this, but there is no doubt that the Islamic State has sympathizers and operatives throughout Europe and here in the USA. Periodically we read of plots, attacks and arrests. Mostly our media has relegated these reports to the “back pages” of the news, in my opinion because they seek to downplay the threat because it doesn’t resonate for Leftist politicians most of the media covertly support.

https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1990196/us-will-continue-defeat-isis-campaign-official-says/

By terrortrends | Posted in Africa, Caliphate, ISIS, Islamic State, Niger, Philippines, Syria, Turkey, West Africa | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Turkey Backs Pakistan in Kashmir Conflict

1 FebamWed, 27 Feb 2019 07:44:58 -06002019-02-27T07:44:58-06:0007 2009 – 07:44

posted by Christopher W. Holton

Turkey has wasted no time in backing Pakistan in the conflict over Kashmir, despite the fact that the violence began with a terrorist attack launched from inside Pakistan in which 40 Indian troops were killed.

This is just the latest sign that Recep Erdogan of Turkey seeks to recreate the Ottoman Empire as a modern-day seat of a caliphate.

Turkey has often “looked the other way” as jihadists transited through its territory and even used it as a launching pad. Erdogan’s main problem with the Islamic State was that it threatened his desire to have Turkey re-emerge as the seat of the caliphate when it declared itself a caliphate…

http://www.radio.gov.pk/27-02-2019/turkey-categorically-announces-to-stand-by-pakistan-in-pace-of-indian-aggression

By terrortrends | Posted in Erdogan, India, Kashmir, Pakistan | Also tagged , | Comments (0)

The Trouble with Turkey’s Erdogan…and His Global Supporters

1 JunpmTue, 26 Jun 2018 14:22:45 -06002018-06-26T14:22:45-06:0002 2009 – 14:22

by Christopher W. Holton

Predictably, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was re-elected in Turkey in the latest demonstration of his seizure of absolute power there.

What was once a largely secular nation is now careening toward and Islamic State to fulfill Erdogan’s dream of re-establishing the Ottoman Empire, the last widely recognized Islamic caliphate, which was shut down nearly a century ago.

Erdogan’s behavior is obviously very troubling to the West in general and NATO in particular.

• He has cozied up to the Ayatollahs in Tehran and maintained their “right” to enrich uranium.

• He has become increasingly close to Putin’s Russia, including buying advanced surface to air missile systems from the Russians, despite Turkey’s membership in NATO. Worse yet, Turkey is now procuring American F-35 strike fighters, raising the specter that Erdogan could share its advanced technology with the Russians, whose aviation industry is at least a generation behind America’s.

• Erdogan has supported the Jihadist terrorist organization HAMAS and has become increasingly hostile toward Israel. He recently called for an international Muslim military force to defend Gaza from Israel.

• Erdogan has become a major supporter of the global Muslim Brotherhood and has closely allied with Qatar, a nation that has been revealed as a major supporter of Jihadist terrorism and Islamist ideology.

What many observers are now seeing is that Turkey is becoming the major global sponsor of Jihad as the new Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia curtails that country’s activity along those lines. Michael Rubin explains in today’s Washington Examiner:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/turkey-will-spread-islamic-terrorism-like-saudia-arabia-once-did

In addition to the Ayatollahs and Vladimir Putin, we can judge Erdogan by those who support him:

Prominent leaders and personalities from around the world on Monday continued to praise President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following his historic election win on Sunday.

Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party said the Turkish election results indicate “Turkish nation’s trust for AK Party and its alliances, and support for Erdogan and his party’s policies.” [NOTE: Sudan is an officially designated state sponsor of terrorism and its ruling regime is guilty of genocide.]

The leader of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Abdurrahman Mustafa also congratulated the president over his election victory [NOTE: Erdogan has supported Jihadist organizations in Syria, not out of ignorance, but precisely because he knows who and what they are.]

In a Twitter message, the chairman of Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars, Yousef al-Qaradawi, congratulated Erdogan and the Turkish nation “for their success in the democracy wedding”. [NOTE: Qaradawi is the ideological mentor of the Muslim Brotherhood and has been banned from traveling to the US, the UK and France due to his “extremism.” For more on Qaradawi, visit this link: http://www.shariahfinancewatch.org/2012/03/26/sheikh-yusuf-al-qaradawi-banned-from-france/

Against this backdrop, it is certainly very interesting that certain American Muslim leaders have chimed in in praise of Erdogan’s sham re-election…

The head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Nihad Awad, congratulated the Turkish nation for the successful election, saying that a high voter turnout marked the polls.

Oussama Jamal, the secretary-general of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, said the Turkish elections were held in democratic maturity and sent a message to the world.

The executive director of the Chicago-based charity Zakat Foundation, Halil Demir also said President Erdogan proved that he was not the president of his ruling AK Party, but the entire country.

By terrortrends | Posted in Erdogan, Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey | Also tagged | Comments (0)

Turkey’s Erdogan Tied to Designated Saudi Terrorist

1 DecpmTue, 31 Dec 2013 21:15:49 -06002013-12-31T21:15:49-06:0009 2009 – 21:15

obama-erdogan

For the second time in 4 months, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has been closely tied to a Saudi national who has been designated by the US Treasury Department as a foreign terrorist.

The Saudi terrorist is a man named Yasin al-Qadi.

Michael Rubin first reported on Erdogan’s close relationship with al-Qadi in an article in Commentary magazine back in September:

Turkey’s Double Speak on Al Qaeda

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/12/turkeys-double-speak-on-al-qaeda/

Erdogan makes no effort to hide his close relationship with the Jihadist terrorist:

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan…has embraced and continues to support Yasin al-Qadi, designated by the U.S. Treasury Department to be terror financier, having channeled money to al-Qaeda. After it came out that Cuneyt Zapsu, a top Erdoğan adviser, had donated money to Yasin al-Qadi, Erdoğan defended both his aide and Qadi himself. “I know Yasin, I believe in him as I do in myself. He is a charitable person who loves Turkey,” Erdogan told Turkish television.

Now, Turkish media is reporting that al-Qadi has been coming and going into and out of Turkey under the protection of Erdogan’s personal security detail. This suggests a far greater relationship than previously supposed. In fact, this would have to be considered material support for a known terrorist.

Yasin al-Qadi escorted by PM’s security detail, daily reports

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-335341-yasin-al-qadi-escorted-by-pms-security-detail-daily-reports.html

Turkey may be placed in a difficult position in the international arena as Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi Arabian businessman who is on the US Treasury Department’s “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” list, has entered Turkey multiple times escorted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s protective detail and without a passport or visa, the Taraf daily reported on Monday.

It’s no wonder that Erdogan’s Turkey has been labeled by some as the chief sponsor of HAMAS, supplanting Iran in that role…

Islamist Turkey Replaces Iran as Hamas’ Sugar Daddy

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/islamist-turkey-replaces-iran-as-hamas-sugar-daddy/

Israel’s intelligence community has determined that Turkey became the lead financier of Hamas. Israeli sources said Turkey replaced Iran as the leading financial backer of Hamas since 2012.

The sources said the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has overseen the transfer of up to $250 million a year to Hamas, particularly the Islamic regime in the Gaza Strip.

“The money is channeled mostly through private sources, but with full coordination with Erdogan and his aides,” a source said.

The sources said Turkey has coordinated the cash transfers with another ally of Hamas. They said Erdogan was working with Qatar, which has been hosting the Hamas leadership since its expulsion from Syria in late 2011.

 

 

 

By terrortrends | Posted in Erdogan, HAMAS, Saudi Arabia, terrorism funding, Turkey, Yasin al-Qadi | Also tagged , , | Comments (9)