ISIL used dead men’s fingerprints for transactions, Turkish police find

KIRŞEHİR

Turkish police on Dec. 26 seized various fingerprint patterns reportedly belonging to killed militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) used for money transfers during an operation targeting the jihadist group in the Central Anatolian province of Kırşehir, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Counter-terrorism units conducted raids on two separate addresses in the province in light of information provided by suspects tried over their alleged links to the jihadist group.

In the first raid, police seized a number of documents, including marriage certificates arranged in the name of ISIL. The documents showed the so-called flag of ISIL, photos of the married persons, their date of birth and the names of kin as well as fingerprints and signature by the group’s authority.

During searches at the kitchen of the cell house, police also seized nine fingerprint patterns stashed inside a secret place among food equipment.

The patterns had been examined as being used for money transfers on behalf of the killed militants. A total of $60,000 was also seized along with the fingerprints, strengthening evidence of their fiscal transactions.

In the second raid on the other address, police seized a letter penned by Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi, the so-called ISIL leader, in which he outlined dissolution within ISIL and issued new instructions to “boost the morale” of the militants.

The hearing of a total of 19 ISIL militants arrested in the province had previously begun and another four had also been arrested in line with the testimonies of the defendants, including the so-called Kırşehir head of the group.

Separately, police in the southern province of Adana on Dec. 26 detained some 12 people with suspected links to ISIL during anti-terror operations in the province.

Anti-terror police carried out simultaneous raids on several addresses in the province, a police official said.

Twelve suspects, including two Syrians, were detained during the operations.

In addition, counter-terrorism units on Dec. 26 carried out an operation targeting ISIL suspects in Istanbul ahead of New Year’s Eve.

There were reports of detentions during the operation but security officials did not provide any specific number.

Meanwhile, another ISIL militant was captured by security forces in the Akçakale district of the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa on Dec. 26 near the Syrian border.

More than 300 people have lost their lives in ISIL-claimed attacks in the country so far, where the jihadist group has targeted civilians with suicide bombings, rocket attacks and shootings.

Turkish security forces have been involved in a long-running campaign to thwart ISIL attacks.