Turkey uses charities in Nepal to communicate with terrorists
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government is using charities as a cover for a network of communication between Turkey and terrorist organisations aimed at recruiting for further expansion. Information revealed by the Swedish media outlet Nordic Monitor speaks of a charity's ties to Al-Qaeda. The charity has been working with Islami Sangh Nepal (ISN), its regional partner in South Asia, with the intention of expanding its logistical hub for jihadist networks, according to the Swedish media outlet's investigation.
The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid (IHH) is reportedly focusing its efforts on broadening its support base among the country's minority Muslim community and expanding logistical operations in support of global jihadist networks. This foundation focuses its range of operations in areas close to Nepal's border with India. Its consolidation came about thanks to the ISN, which in turn has received funding directly from Turkey for certain projects.
Both organisations are being targeted by several powers. Indian intelligence services have on more than one occasion singled out ISN for allegedly supporting jihadist militants. On the other hand, its Turkish partner, the IHH, has been listed as an arms smuggler by the UN Security Council and has also been investigated for running a support line to armed jihadist groups in Syria.
The IHH is known as a tool of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) and enjoys not only the support of President Erdogan, but also special funding privileges. The Turkish government's assistance was crucial when it faced numerous anti-terrorism investigations in the past, and it managed to avoid any legal punishment.
This foundation is mainly active in three provinces of Nepal. Province No. 1, Province No. 2 and Lumbini Province. All of them, in addition to the capital Kathmandu, are home to mosques, madrasas, Islamic centres and orphanages established by the IHH. In the near future, it appears that the IHH intends to expand into the Sunsari region, an area close to the Indian border.
The link between Islami Sangh Nepal and radical Islamists is not only limited to the IHH. The ISN was listed as a member of an organisation called the Islamic World NGO Union (ISDB), which, according to Swedish information, is merely a front for the Turkish paramilitary group SADAT. This private organisation is headed by Adnan Tanriverdi, a former senior military advisor to President Erdogan. He also contributed to the organisation of jihadist groups both on and outside Turkish territory, providing military training and advice on military and security logistics. ISN is listed as number 287 in the ISDB and was officially registered on 23 January 2015.
On 16 August 2016, the former head of the Turkish police intelligence section, who specialises in radical religious groups, testified in court that "IHH campaigns are designed to provide assistance to jihadists involved in terrorism around the world and provide medical assistance, funding, logistics and human resources for jihadists". This follows an investigative report by Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) that a Turkish police officer affiliated with Al-Qaeda who shot dead Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov in Ankara had transferred significant amounts of money to the IHH.