Ankara Chief Prosecutor and Istanbul TEM conduct simultaneous operation against ISIS financing network: 21 detained

Within an investigation coordinated by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office, 14 of 16 suspects identified as having channeled donations collected abroad for the release of organization members held in ISIS camps in Syria through Turkey to Syria were detained in an Ankara-centered operation.

Simultaneously, teams from Istanbul Police Directorate's Counter-Terrorism Division Branch pursued a separate lead. Teams monitoring a WhatsApp group showing illegal money transfers between conflict zones and Turkey and within the country identified organization-affiliated individuals in the communication network.

Key documents in the investigation were reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). Suspects with money transfer connections to individuals and organizations on record as providing funding to ISIS were targeted. Simultaneous raids were conducted in the early morning hours at 10 addresses across five districts in Istanbul and one address in Mersin; 7 suspects were apprehended and detained. Numerous digital materials were seized from home searches and residences.

A total of 21 people were detained from the two separate operations.

This was not the last major operation against ISIS financing conducted in Turkey: In 2023, the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office detained dozens of people in a similar investigation and exposed camp-linked remittance networks. After questioning the suspects, the prosecutor's office is expected to file detention requests.