Turkey arrests top Daesh 'emir' in country

  01 September 2020    Read: 1562
Turkey arrests top Daesh

Turkish police have detained the top Daesh terrorist figure in the country in counterterrorism operations carried out in Turkey’s southern Adana province, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said Tuesday.

The notorious terrorist was identified as Mahmut Özden, who was referred to as the “Turkey emir” of Daesh and has been constantly receiving orders from Iraq and Syria.

He has been planning to carry out attacks with groups of 10 to 12 terrorists, according to Soylu. He was arrested by the court after his procedures at the police station were complete and was sent to prison.

Congratulating and thanking the police for their success, Soylu noted that the police confiscated crucial plans in the raid.

According to materials confiscated during police raids, which included documents and digital materials, the terrorist group was plotting to kidnap several politicians for propaganda efforts.

“The operation is still ongoing and we have detained other Daesh terrorists linked to him,” Soylu said, signaling a new wave of raids on the terrorist group in the country.

Three other terrorists were also detained in the counterterrorism operation in Adana, Anadolu Agency reported.

Police had detained Özden in previous raids in 2017 for recruiting terrorists, but the court had released him with judicial control decision.

The 48-year-old terrorist received $7,000 for each terrorist he recruited for Daesh, according to court documents.

Adana counterterrorism police units carried out four different raids on four terrorist cells in the province, the report said, adding that the terrorists were brought to the hospital for routine health checkups and were then transferred to the police station.

Last week, Turkey nabbed a Daesh terrorist planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Istanbul.

Police found five ammunition clips, 150 cartridges and a long-barreled weapon in the hotel room of the suspect, identified by the initials H.S.

H.S. came to Istanbul from southeastern Gaziantep province near the Syrian border and was planning to carry out an attack near Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square.

Police also obtained footage showing H.S. walking around in Taksim to plan his attack.

Although the terrorist organization has been largely defeated in Iraq and Syria, its presence still poses threat, as individuals following their perverted ideology encourage individuals to carry out attacks. European analysts have also warned against attacks by Daesh, as isolated individuals not on the watch of intelligence services have become more common.

Turkey recognized Daesh as a terrorist organization in 2013.

Since then, the country has been attacked by Daesh terrorists numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed attacks that killed 315 people and injured hundreds.

In response, Turkey has launched military and police operations inside the country and abroad.

Turkey also captured top Daesh terrorists in counterterror operations at home and in Syria.

Turkish intelligence played a key role in the death of Daesh terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by detaining and extraditing one of his aids to Iraq, who provided U.S. authorities with critical information for locating the vicious man.

According to Interior Ministry figures, at least 2,000 people were arrested and 7,000 others deported in operations against Daesh in Turkey in the past few years, while around 70,000 people have been denied entry to Turkey over their suspected links to the terrorist group.


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