Sought as a missing person on Müge Anlı: Appeared years later in an ISIS operation

According to information in an article by journalist İsmail Saymaz published on halktv.com.tr, it has been determined that Çekdar Yılmaz, who was sought as a missing person on television screens in 2019, was among the ISIS members captured and brought to Turkey during a joint operation conducted by the MIT and the General Directorate of Security in Syria last month.

It was stated that Çekdar Yılmaz, who was registered in Bitlis, worked as a security guard at construction sites in Esenyurt and began living with Fatma Develi, a Germany-born woman he met online. It was reported that the couple, who lived together in Esenyurt for about two months, vacated their home and disappeared on November 15, 2017.

HIS FAMILY COULD NOT HEAR FROM HIM FOR DAYS

It was stated that when the Yılmaz family, who had not heard from their son for a week, went to the house, they found it vacated and a "For Rent" sign hanging in the window.

While it was noted that the landlord told the family that the couple had said, "My father-in-law is sick, we are returning to Germany" when they left, it was recorded that after the family applied to the police, it was determined that Fatma Develi was legally married to someone else.

HE WAS SOUGHT ON MÜGE ANLI'S PROGRAM IN 2019

The article recalled that Çekdar Yılmaz's mother, Emine Yılmaz, participated in the "Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert" program on June 19, 2019, after not hearing from her son for about a year and a half.

On the program, mother Emine Yılmaz stated that her son was someone devoted to his family and explained that they had not heard from him for a long time. According to İsmail Saymaz, program host Müge Anlı suspected the account and focused on the possibility that Fatma Develi's legal husband might have harmed Çekdar Yılmaz.

The article stated that at the time, neither the family nor the program team considered the possibility that Çekdar Yılmaz and Fatma Develi might have joined ISIS.

CAPTURED IN SYRIA AND BROUGHT TO TURKEY

According to information shared by İsmail Saymaz, Çekdar Yılmaz was captured along with nine other ISIS members in an operation conducted by the MIT and the police in Syria last month and brought to Turkey.

It was alleged that Yılmaz crossed into Syria in 2017, received military training in the organization, engaged in armed activities in Idlib, and later served in the "Faruk Office," which is described as the organization's media wing.

The report stated that Çekdar Yılmaz is currently in prison in Turkey, while no information could be obtained regarding the fate of Fatma Develi.

According to the article, among those brought to Turkey were Ali Bora, who was sought with a red notice, and Ömer Deniz Dündar, Kadir Gözükara, and Hüseyin Peri, who were sought with orange notices.

It was stated that Ömer Deniz Dündar, who was said to be within the "Weavers Group" in Adıyaman, crossed into Syria with his wife, his twin, and his twin's wife to join ISIS, carried out armed activities on behalf of the organization, and was tried in the case of the 2015 Ankara Train Station Massacre, in which 100 people lost their lives.

HE EXPLAINED THAT HE REMAINED IN THE RANKS OF ISIS FOR 12 YEARS

Another name mentioned in the report is 35-year-old Gaziantep-born Hakkı Yüksek, who is a middle school graduate and worked as a knitwear worker.

According to his statement at the Ankara Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Branch, it was stated that Yüksek, who turned to religious structures after his military service, participated in religious conversations at the "Ensar Science Dissemination Association," a Salafi structure known as the "Ensar Community," in 2014.

In his statement, it was noted that he said he crossed into Syria illegally in 2015 by leaving a note for his family saying, "I am going to Istanbul to study science," joined ISIS, and used the codenames "Abdulmelik" and "Abdullah" in the organization.

It was reported that Yüksek, who explained that he was in the regions of Jarabulus, Tel Abyad, Ras al-Ayn, Manbij, Raqqa, and Mayadin, received religious and military training, served in armed activities, tried to escape from the organization several times but was caught, was imprisoned by ISIS, and claimed he was threatened with death if he tried to escape again.

The article also included information that Hakkı Yüksek was captured by HTS on December 5, 2020, and remained in prison for about five and a half years.

HE MADE A "I WAS DECEIVED" DEFENSE

According to the police statement shared by İsmail Saymaz, Hakkı Yüksek used the expression, "I do not adopt the constitutional order of the Republic of Turkey."

However, he claimed that he did not join the organization knowingly and willingly, that he was deceived with the promise of learning science, that his religious feelings were exploited, and that he tried to escape from the organization many times but was unsuccessful.

News Source: 12punto