Uncle of ISIS terrorist recounts: 'You are infidels, you are taghut...'

The family of Zafer Umutlu, an ISIS member who martyred three police officers in a clash in Yalova before being killed himself, has shed light on the events behind the scenes. His uncle, Metin Umutlu, detailed how Zafer Umutlu’s relationship with the family severed and described his radicalization process.

Metin Umutlu, who is both the uncle of Zafer Umutlu and a cousin of his father, explained how the young man approached the organization and threatened their family. Umutlu stated that they tried to persuade Zafer to surrender on the day of the incident, but were unsuccessful.

Noting that the transformation in the life of Zafer Umutlu, who settled in Yalova about six years ago, began during his father's illness, Metin Umutlu said, "The first few years were quite normal. But everything changed in the last three years. In the period following his father's illness, both his appearance and his thoughts began to differ. He started growing a beard and shaving his mustache, turned toward different rhetoric on religious matters, and a distinct change occurred in his behavior."

Uncle Metin Umutlu also said that despite sitting down and discussing the issue with family members many times, they could not find a solution, and domestic unrest increased over time.

'WE NEVER SAW HIS WIFE'

Stating that Zafer Umutlu married about a year and a half ago and that ties with the family were completely severed during this period, the uncle said, "None of us attended his wedding. According to acquaintances who went, there were about 200 people at the wedding, most of whom were connected to the organization. We hoped he would return to his family over time, but our expectation did not materialize. We never saw his wife, and he did not introduce her to anyone in the family."

'YOU NEED TO BE KILLED'

Arguments within the family sometimes even turned into physical violence. Metin Umutlu stated, "My nephew's brother confronted and argued with those who led him astray. Afterward, Zafer came to us and said, 'You are infidels, you are taghut. You need to be killed. If the order for jihad comes, I will shoot you first.' Following these words, a fierce fight broke out within the family, and we were forced to hit him."

The family made several attempts to prevent Zafer Umutlu's radicalization but were unsuccessful. Both his brother and his uncle stated that they had gone to security authorities to point out the danger, but were told that no action could be taken due to a lack of sufficient evidence. Metin Umutlu also shared that three days before the incident, his nephew's brother had filed another complaint, suspecting that Zafer might carry out an attack on New Year's Eve.

Uncle Metin Umutlu, who traveled to Yalova with his son in the early hours of the morning as soon as he heard the news of the clash, stated that he followed the events from inside his vehicle instead of entering the village and tried to reach Zafer by phone at one point. He shared the final moments, saying, 'I tried very hard to get him to surrender. I said, "Don't do this, do not point your weapon at your state or your police, surrender." But he refused, saying, "I cannot go behind iron bars," and he could not be persuaded.'