Balkan media accuse Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) to support radical islamic network

According to the Serbian Televizija Republike Srpske - a Bosnian entity level public mainstream TV - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wife, is the patron of the weightiest humanitarian organization: Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH).

IHH is a radical Islamic organization, established in 1992 by a member of the Turkish Refah Party and formally registered in Istanbul in 1995. Besides its legitimate humanitarian activities, IHH supports radical Islamic networks. In recent years, it has prominently supported Hamas (through the Union of Good).

In addition, the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) has reliable information that in the past IHH provided logistical support and funding to global jihad networks.

The Balkans, and specifically the western portion of them with Bosnia and Herzegovina, has become a major recruitment base for ISIS due to their high rates of unemployment and the growing size of marginalized sectors of society.

The Balkans is strategically important for ISIL as they serve as a major transit zone for foreign recruits to ISIL from various parts of the world. The Balkans are also important for ISIL for movements in the opposite direction, it is a transit point for operatives into Western Europe and a staging point for terrorist operations.

French Intelligence didn't share information on ISIL plan to attack Rio Olympics 2016

"French Intelligence didn't share any information with Brazilian Intelligence about a plan by ISIL to attack the French delegation to the Rio Olympics 2016 in Rio de Janeiro next month", Wilson Trezza, Director General of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN), said.

According to Brazilian Daily Newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo Wilson Trezza intends to speak to representatives of the French Intelligence who he said were present in Brazil.

Last week French Intelligence disclosed it has information about a plot by Brazilian member of ISIL to target the French delegation to the Rio Olympics 2016.

Director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) said they were receiving intelligence cooperation from countries around the world, including French Intelligence.

Brazilian Intelligence and Police have prepared a major security operation to head off threats and attacks against the Rio Olympics 2016 but they have no knowledge of a specific threat to the games so far.

Turkish Intelligence Reveals ISIL’s most important route for Raqqah

Investigations into the bomb attack that targeted the HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) rally in Diyarbakir Province on June 5, 2015 led Turkish Intelligence to the discovery of ISIL’s most important transport route for Raqqah. 

According recent Turkish Intelligence reports Ilhami Bali aka “Ebu Bekir”, an ISIL’s border emir who is wanted by the Turkish Interior Ministry for his involvement in the June 5 attack, had set up a transport route via Gaziantep-Kilis-Raqqah.

Gaziantep-Kilis-Raqqah

Turkish Intelligence gathered informations that discovered a transport and logistics network setted up by Bali, Mustafa Demir aka “Ebu Ali”, Okkes Karabeyli aka “Ebu Sumeyye”, and Deniz Buyukcelebi aka “Ebu Enes” that required the collaboration of transport personnel, taxi drivers, smugglers, and porters.

Transportation and Logistics

Based on information retrieved by Turkish Intelligence from telephone records, an ISIL’s emir issues a reference known as “teskiye” for the jihadists and their families who wish to join the organization, and he instructs them to get to Gaziantep Province by bus or plane.

The list of the people due to arrive is then given to the organization’s customs unit that is known as “administration” which handles the border crossing. The customs unit passes on the names of those who arrive to Ilhami Bali who then takes over. Once in Gaziantep, jihadists call Bali to announce their arrival. Bali then confirms the community the jihadists are assigned to and the name of the emir who issued the reference after which he asks them to take a taxi to one of the 10 meeting points controlled by the organization.

ISIL Warehouse in Gaziantep

According Turkish Intelligence reports once they reach one of the meeting points recommended by Bali, the jihadists are met by an agent sent by a certain “Ebu Same” who takes them to guest houses that are used by ISIL as meeting locations either in Gaziantep or Kilis. 

After that, one of the nine taxi drivers who work for Bali takes the jihadists to the second meeting point in the town of Elbeyli in the province of Kilis. Jihadists pay a small fee of $15 to be taken by smugglers working for Huseyin Hano into ISIL-controlled areas. 

Depending on the size of the group of jihadists, a number of vehicles and porters are sent to carry the people’s luggage. Facilitating border crossing requires leaving jihadists’ excess luggage behind in a warehouse that is used by the organization in Gaziantep. 

Turkish Intelligence revealed that after crossing the border, the jihadists are taken by taxis to the customs unit where they complete their entry procedures. At that point, female jihadists are taken to the women’s guest house that is run by Deniz Buyukcelebi aka Ebu Enes, and the men are taken to a camp in Tall Ahmar. After completing their training, jihadists are taken to Raqqah and surrounding areas under the authority of the emir who issued the references.

Border crossing during Cobra’s Change of Guard

Border crossings from Syria into Turkey are handled by Mustafa Demir aka “Ebu Ali”. Bali monitors the process very closely and is constantly receiving updates until the jihadists reach Gaziantep Airport. 

A delegation called “hijra committee” at the customs unit thoroughly interrogates those leaving on their “hijrah” (in reference to the journey made by Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622).

Border crossings are handled by Mustafa Demir

Following the interrogation, those that are deemed good candidates to cross into Turkey are given permit papers called “Documents” by an emir called “Ebu Sam” and are asked to wait in one of the organization’s houses near the border. When the smugglers declare the border safe to cross, the jihadists are taken into Turkey.  

The crossings are timed to coincide with the Cobra’s change of guard. Turkish Intelligence revealed that smugglers that work without the knowledge of ISIL emirs are captured by villagers as ordered by the organization and are punished. Young people without luggage are given priority and cross the borders faster because they are used as fighters.

Recruits are not allowed to leave ISIL-controlled areas without a valid reason, and those who attempt to cross into Turkey without authorization are placed in the organization’s prison in Raqqah.

British Intelligence Said "Libya is no longer a priority for ISIL"

(June 29, 2016) - According reliable Moroccan security sources, that mentioned a British Intelligence report, "Libya is no longer a priority for ISIL" after its militias decided to reach the west of the Sahara, through Algeria, considering Morocco as a top target in its next war. 

Details of the report have been revealed from daily newspaper Assabah indicated that the presence of ISIL fighters in Libya is only a temporarily tactic to implement a strategy aimed at reaching the Sahel and Sahara region, moving to the south areas of Algeria, expanding throughout Morocco and in the far south to take advantage from the smuggling and drug trafficking.

According the British Intelligence report ISIL decide to withdraw from the Libyan soil because they had significant difficulty in recruiting Libyan fighters. The majority of its fighters are Moroccans, Tunisians and Algerians, in addition to recruits from sub-Saharan countries between Mauritania and Chad.

The British Intelligence report warned that in its future operations ISIL will increase the use of female recruits from the targeted countries, as women have never before participated in terrorist operations in Morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia.

The British Intelligence report put on evidence that ISIL in Libya is different from ISIL in Syria and Iraq in terms of dealing with women, whose roles are not confined to sexual slavery.

The British Intelligence report comes a few weeks after the Spanish Institute for Security Studies announced that an ISIL propaganda document considers Morocco as the new "jihad" destination for its fighters by placing it at the forefront of the 28 "enemy" countries.
The recent report by the Asesoria de Inteligencia, the institute specializing in security and intelligence affairs, also included a chart that ISIL distributed to its members indicating that the next war plans should prioritize attacks against Morocco and Spain in order to destroy the security barriers that prevent "fighters" from infiltrating into Europe through the Sahara Desert.

ISIL's document described Madrid and Rabat as "enemy countries" that excel in accelerating and expanding the circle of participants in the war against ISIL, as is the case with the United States, Russia, France, Britain and Germany.

Salafi Organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina Have Found New Sources of Financing

(June 27, 2016) - Bosnia and Herzegovina's Intelligence suspect that Salafi organizations active in Bosnia and Herzegovina have found new sources of financing their activities.

There are informations that such organizations in Sarajevo and beyond are not prepared to give up their intense ideological and propaganda activity.

According to a confidential dossier seen by Nezavisne Novine, the headquarters of one of the most active such organization is in Ramiz Salcin Street in Sarajevo.

As noted, the organization has been in existence since 2013, but had not been known to be very active. However, it has all changed in the mean time.

"This organization brings together exclusively female members. Some of the best known Salafi preachers have of late delivered lectures there," the detailed dossier says.

As the informations further states, at the end of August last year this Salafi organization arranged a trip for its members to Mt. Bjelasnica, more specifically to a mountain lodge in Javor Valley which has become a frequent venue for Salafi gatherings.

"The participants are bussed free to the venue and the organization also provides free child care during the courses," informations reveals.

It is stated in the documents in conclusion that the Salafi movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to operate and that as regards global developments, it publicly disowns ISIL, while at the same time it operates outside the jurisdiction of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina as it develops its own structures.

"The activation of the previously passive groups, as well as the activities such as free transportation, child care, trips and the like, point to the possibility that there they have new sources of funding to support these activities," it is stated in the dossier.

According to police findings, in addition to Sarajevo, these Salafi organizations carry out increasingly intense propaganda activities in other major urban centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Zenica, Tuzla and Mostar.

It is further stated that the Salafis have two leaders both of whom are believed to be associated with persons and organizations deemed to be of interest in terms of security, but who have themselves been suspected of the activities also deemed interesting in terms of security.

"For instance, this refers to the participation in organizing and encouraging recruits for Syria and other war zones," the informations reveal.

Police therefore recommend further monitoring and scrutiny of the activities of Salafi organizations and their leading authorities.

Bosnia Herzegovinan newspaper Nezavisne Novine has previously published many details about a Wahhabi stronghold bigger than the notorious Gornja Maoca near Srebrenik is taking root in the vicinity of Cazin.

Six Cargo Ships Carrying Weapons for ISIL from Turkey to Libya

(June 26, 2016) - Six cargo ships or container carriers carrying weapons for ISIL in Libya left Turkish ports in mid-may having been located and identified by UK and French intelligence agents active in Turkey.

These large ships can carry over 10,000 tons of freight. They are two container carriers flying Turkish and Liberian flags and three cargo ships flying the Panamian, Bolivian, Tanzanian flags and a livestock carrier registered in the Comoros.

Each of them apparently conceals amid its cargo small caliber weapons for ISIL militias. After leaving a Turkish port each of the ships probably extinguished its GPS and it will be difficult to locate even with satellites above them.

"They were unable to flee via the Suez Canal or via Gibraltar. They are forced to circle in the Mediterranean. That's a major sensitive operation" a security source said to French newspaper Le Figaro.

According to the local sources it is almost impossible to know how is behind the ships: "Turkish Smugglers? Special services? I don't know" source said.