Turkish court seeks to indict Syrian ISIL widow accused of bomb-making: Report

DİYARBAKIR

Turkish prosecutors are seeking the indictment of the widow of an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighter, who they accuse of making bombs with her late husband for the group in Syria, U.S.' government-funded news source Voice of America (VOA) reported on Feb. 16, citing local authorities. 

Prosecutors are asking the court for a 15-year prison sentence for Afra Shaar, a Syrian national and widow of Faysal Selimoğlu, a deceased Turkish ISIL fighter. No trial has been held yet.

According to Turkish law enforcement authorities, Shaar was arrested in December 2017 during a raid on her in-laws’ house in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, after someone tipped off the authorities about her whereabouts and her affiliation with Selimoğlu.

Shaar confirmed that her husband was involved in terrorist activities and was involved with ISIL. She claimed, however, she was not involved with her husband’s activities, telling the authorities that she was an English teacher.

During the raid, police reportedly recovered a number of cellphones and phone calling cards, two computer tablets, a laptop and a computer. They also found two digital documents containing farewell letters from her deceased husband.

Police also reportedly discovered the couple’s photos. In one of the photos, Shaar is seen standing next to a man holding an AK-47. The man appears to be her husband, Selimoğlu.