(PART 2 CONTINUED) IHH WHICH DIRECTS THE BOATS

by Jim Stephens

June 4, 2010

More information on IHH comes from

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_e105.pdf

Portrait of IHH

1. Prominent among the coalition organizations participating in the aid flotilla scheduled to

arrive in the Gaza Strip in the coming days is the Turkish IHH

and formally registered in Istanbul in 1995. It is headed by

It is a radical Islamic organization which was established in 1992Bülent Yildirim.

2.

IHH has a broad program of important activities in distressed areas. They include sending

food and support to orphans, establishing educational institutions, hospitals and clinics,

programs for vocational education, supplying medicines, building mosques and preventing the

violation of human rights in various Islamic locations throughout the world. In recent years it

has begun widening its activities to European countries, in part by establishing branches

which bear its name.

3.

In practice, besides its legitimate humanitarian activities, IHH supports radical Islamic

terrorist networks. In

Union of Good). In addition,

provided logistical support and funding to global jihad networks

 

 

 

…recent years it has prominently supported Hamas (through thethe ITIC has reliable information that in the past IHH.

 

 

IHH Links To Hamas

4.

 IHH’s orientation is radical and Islamist and is close to the Muslim

Brotherhood

connection between them.

extremely important

(Palestine-Information, Hamas’ main website, has a Turkish version, and as of the end of

2009, the website of its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has also appeared

in Turkish)

5.

In recent years, especially since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip, IHH has supported

Hamas’ propaganda campaigns by organizing public support conferences in Turkey. At those

conferences, which featured the participation of senior IHH figures, the heads of IHH

expressed their support for Hamas and its strategy (including the armed struggle it favors), in

defiance of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas’ rival.

6.

50 Islamic funds and foundations around the globe, which channels money into

Hamas institutions in the Palestinian Authority-administered territories

of Good member IHH has connections with other worldwide Islamic funds and foundations

 

(Roots of IHH ARE) radical-Islamic and anti-American, and it is close to the Muslim(Hamas’ parent movement). IHH supports Hamas and does not hide theHamas also considers its links to IHH and Turkey to be, and regards Turkey as a target audience for its propaganda networkIHH is a member of the Union of Good, an umbrella organization of more than. As a Union 

which support Hamas. Among other things, the support includes initiating and conductingjoint projects whose objectives are to bolster the de facto Hamas administration in the Gaza

Strip and

terrorism

services). IHH, which has become an important factor in global fund-raising for Hamas,

transfers significant amounts of money to Hamas institutions in Judea and Samaria,

 

 

 

Hamas’ civilian infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, which also supports(the infrastructure is under pressure from the Palestinian Authority security

including the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron and the Al-Tadhamun

Charitable Society in Nablus (Hamas’ two central “charitable societies,” both

outlawed by Israel)

7.

a branch there

send other aid flotillas to the Gaza Strip

delegation met with

Hamas’ council in the Gaza Strip. At the meeting the delegation revealed the extent of the aid

it had given Hamas in the Gaza Strip during the preceding year and said it intended to double

the sum in the future.

Mashaal

the support of his organization.

 

 

 

.IHH operates widely throughout the Gaza Strip. To promote its activities it opened, headed by Muhammad Kaya, who recently stated that IHH intended to(See below). In January 2008 an IHHAhmed Bahar, a senior Hamas activist who is acting chairman ofIn January 2009 IHH head Bülent Yildirim met with Khaled, chairman of Hamas’ political bureau in Damascus, and Mashaal thanked him for

 

 

 

 Israel Outlaws IHH and Expels an IHH Activist

 

9.

 

 

Israel outlawed IHH because of its affiliation with the Union of Good andbecause it is an important factor in Hamas’ global fund raising

 

 

. It was included in adecision made by Defense Minister Ehud Barak in 2008 which outlawed 36 associations which

belonged to the Union of Good (IHH appeared as number 36 on the list

 

 

4

).10.

 

 

In November 2009 IHH sent one of its activists, a man named Izzat Shahin, toJudea and Samaria to open an office

 

 

(in addition to its Gaza Strip office). Shahin startedwork supporting Hamas “charitable societies.” He transferred tens of thousands of American

dollars from IHH to the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron and Al-Tadhamun in Nablus, two

of Hamas’ most important “charitable societies.” His activities were thwarted by the Israeli

security forces. In April 2010 he was detained for questioning on suspicion of involvement in

financing terrorism and supporting Hamas, and was deported from Israel immediately after

his interrogation in compliance with an official Turkish request.

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