Details of that operation emerge: They were funding an ISIS cell
Striking details have emerged regarding the "Bozdoğan-27" operation, which was carried out in 4 provinces centered in Istanbul against the terrorist organization ISIS. While the organization's money trail was reflected in a MASAK report, it was determined that the captured suspects were funding a cell led by Recep B., an ISIS operative codenamed "Ebu Sıraç" who is in the "Red" category of the "wanted for terrorism" list.
Müslim Sarıyar
Müslim SARIYAR/12punto.com.tr
While 36 suspects were captured in the "Bozdoğan-27" operations carried out against the ISIS terrorist organization in Istanbul, Eskişehir, İzmir, and Kayseri, striking details have emerged regarding the Istanbul leg of the investigation.
The interrogation of 15 ISIS-affiliated suspects, who were captured on allegations of sending money to an individual conducting financial activities through various social media platforms in Istanbul and having links to terrorist organizations, continues at the Istanbul Counter-Terrorism Branch.
Within the framework of the investigation conducted into the organization, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), which scrutinized the financial structure and money trail of these individuals close to ISIS, reported all available information and documents to the police.
Acting in line with the report from MASAK, the Istanbul Intelligence Branch Directorate and Counter-Terrorism (TEM) teams identified the organization-affiliated suspects whose names appeared in the report one by one. Simultaneous operations were carried out at the identified addresses. While it was announced that 15 suspects were captured in the raids, details regarding the investigation have come to light.
While the criminal elements seized within the scope of the operation were displayed at the Counter-Terrorism Branch, data reflected in the MASAK report revealed that the suspects in question were funding a cell led by Recep B., an ISIS operative codenamed "Ebu Sıraç" who is in the "Red" category of the "wanted for terrorism" list published by the Ministry of Interior.
It was noted that the suspects collected money through accounts such as "aid for Syrian sisters" and "Idlib aid," which they created via social media using methods described as "infak" (charity), and that they exploited people's religious sentiments to send the collected money to the terrorist codenamed "Ebu Sıraç," an ISIS operative in Syria. It was learned that the suspects, who were determined to have provided resources to the terrorist organization ISIS through the cell led by Recep B., had established a wide-ranging network.
While their contacts in Turkey were deciphered one by one, it was stated that organization sympathizers described as intermediate collectors were located at the lower layers of the system. It was determined that after the money was collected in these individuals' bank accounts, people assigned by the ISIS member Recep B., codenamed "Ebu Sıraç," transferred the money in question from border provinces to Syria. The amount of money that the suspects described as "intermediate collectors" transferred to ISIS camps has not yet been specified.