Jailed ISIS member from Turkey: İsmail Ağa Sect sent me to ISIS

Islamic groups under the protection of the AKP government are facing no obstacles from the Turkish state as they freely perform their activities across the country to spread their propaganda and recruit members.

Islamic groups under the protection of the AKP government are facing no obstacles from the Turkish state as they freely perform their activities across the country to spread their propaganda and recruit members for ISIS and other similar jihadist organisations.

These groups firstly determine the people they will recruit, then have them join their religous 'talks' before preparing them for participation in the 'jihad' and sending them to Syria to join the ranks of ISIS, Al-Nusra, Fetih Army and other groups.

FROM İSMAİL AĞA SECT TO THE ISLAM ARMY

Ramazan B. is from Ortacık village in Akşehir district of Konya. He is the youngest one of the 5 children of a poor family. Apart from his village and Akşehir, he lived in Antalya for one month. In Akşehir, he voted for MHP, and in Konya for AKP. He is an ordinary Central Anatolia citizen, performing only Friday prayers.

Ramazan's 'jihad' adventure begins after he starts to work in a factory in Konya province in Central Anatolia. Jailed in Rojava at the moment, Ramazan spoke to ANF reporters about his story and involvement in ISIS.

TALK WITH THE BEARDED MAN

"I started to work for a factory in April. I had a stubbly beard. 15 days later, a bearded man came near me and asked which sect I was affiliated to, and I said I had no relations with any. After a while, a man claiming to be from İsmail Ağa sect talked to me and offered to join their talks. After my repeated rejection for some time on the excuse that I was too tired to get involved in such activities, he insisted and convinced me to join their talks.

HAKKI EFENDİ STARTS PREACHING

It was a Tuesday when this man took me to a house of the sect, where there were some 9-10 people. After a meeting and dinner, the man leading them, called Hakkı Efendi, started to preach a sermon. He was talking about companions of prophet Muhammad and the battle against the infidel. I kept joining them for two days a week after the hour of work at 18:30. Besides the houses at Zafer Square and near Konya Bus Terminal, I also started to visit another house in Bosna neighborhood. After some time, Hakkı Efendi brought the subject to recent developments, and started to focus on the situation in Syria.

TIME FOR 'JIHAD' NOW

During the course of the ideological training, I was beginning to understand that they were preparing us for a duty. Once it became clear that we were mentally ready, we received an order from the Syrian Islam Army to join them. We were going to fight the infidel and go to the heaven when we died.

It was a Thursday. Hakkı Efendi said it was time to go, and told me 'We will send you now'. When I asked 'Where?', he answered 'To Syria'.

TRAVEL FROM KONYA TO URFA

They had us take a bus from Konya to Urfa and gave us 200 TL pocket money. When we asked how we would go there, he showed us a man's photo and said he, Feyzullah, would pick us up from the bus terminal. We were meant to go to Suruç after Urfa, from where couriers would pick us up from a grocery store near Mürşitpınar border crossing. They took a photo of mine before I left.

VISIT TO A SOLDIER FRIEND

I had huge concerns and thoughts inside my mind. Before going to Urfa, I called a friend by the name of Ömer, a specialist sergeant doing his military service in Hakkari, and told him that I would visit him. He was in Van for a week due to a hearing in relation with an accident he had in a military vehicle. Me and him stayed in a hotel in Van for a week.

RETURN TO URFA

After spending a week with Ömer in Van, I travelled to Urfa despite all the fears and concerns I had. However, there was nobody waiting for me there at the bus terminal. After going to Urfa and then to Suruç, I walked for some time until I found myself at the border gate. There were no soldiers around, and I didn't know anything about the other side of the border. There were some armed forces there and I thought they were jihadists. So, I crossed the border after deciding to join them there.

SOMETHING WAS WRONG

When I crossed into the Syrian side, there were several armed people there. I greeted them, and they did the same, but I didn't know their language. They took me into a room and offered me tea and cigarette. Then came a car and took us to the city. From the questions they asked me, I understood that something was going wrong.

I TURNED OUT TO SURRENDER TO YPG

I meant to join the Syrian Islam Army but I ended up in Kobanê and had to surrender to YPG. It was only after YPG captured me that I realized İsmail Ağa Sect had sent me to ISIS under the name of 'Syrian Islam Army'.

I AM LUCKY I WAS CAPTURED

I strongly regret getting involved and joining such an organisation. I had a family and an order. I am lucky because YPG captured me but there are lessons I need to draw from this cliff I got into.

These sects mainly target young workers that are economically weak and culturally ignorant. They set eyes on ingenuous-looking people and make them fall into their trap. They display an easygoing approach towards them and try to address to their spirit. They fool the people under the guise of fight against the Syrian regime, and later use them in the fight against the Kurds in Rojava.

We are near the YPG for some time. We were actually meant to fight against them in Rojava but YPG treats us like a guest rather than an enemy or a prisoner. I learned about humanity here, near them.