Islamic State foiled in attempt to kidnap Syrian rebel leader in Turkey

www.telegraph.co.uk...

A top Syrian rebel commander was shot and wounded in an apparent kidnapping attempt by the Islamic State in a Turkish city, raising questions about Ankara’s readiness to stop jihadists operating on its soil.

Abu Issa, the leader of Thuwar Raqqa, a Syrian rebel group who has been fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in the town of Kobane, was ambushed by Isil extremists in Urfa in neighbouring Turkey...

... The rebel commander and his son, Ammar, 20, were snatched from the car on Friday afternoon whilst returning home after meeting with Turkish officials in Urfa city centre, his aides told the Telegraph.
“Isil cars blocked the road ahead of them, and four armed men grabbed them from the vehicle,” said Ahmed Abdul Khader, a spokesman for Thuwar Raqqa. “It was 6.30pm.”..

... Abu Issa’s closest advisor, who was driving, had been in on the Isil plot, Mr Khader said, detouring to the quiet back road where the attack happened: “When the Isil cars blocked the road ahead, Abu Issa told the driver to turn around, but he just switched the engine off, and let the kidnappers take them from the car,” he said.

Abu Issa recognised two of the attackers, who had not covered their faces, as Isil members.

The kidnappers drove Abu Issa and his son at top speed towards the border and were intending to smuggle them to Syria.
Increased Turkish military presence there made it too difficult to cross, and the kidnap attempt was ultimately failed when one of the smugglers working with the Isil jihadists bailed on the plot.

The smuggler left Abu Issa, who was reportedly shot through the side during the kidnap attempt, at a hospital in Urfa early on Saturday morning.

I'm a bit baffled why they would drop him off at a hospital, maybe he's worth more alive than dead?

The kidnappers were later caught but ISIL continues to have a strong presence in Turkey.

a reply to: Swills

…raising questions about Ankara’s readiness to stop jihadists operating on its soil.

Turkey (NATO) trains Jihadists on its soil and sends them into Syria. I don't hear any "questions" being raised about that…

"These are not the terrorists you are looking for."

"You may go about your business."

"Move along." --Oh Big One, Star Wars

a reply to: Swills

From what I have seen on the news about how the Turks treat the Kurd's (PKK not withstanding as there have been many human right's violations by the Turks against ethnic Kurd's and the PKK are no saint's by any mean's), they seem to be intent on letting Isis wipe the Kurds out and are angry that the US has aided the Kurd's (Remember that the Kurds were there before the Turks and it is there land) even gunning down Kurds who tried to flee accross the border to escape the Isis massacre of there people as though the Turkish armed force was there to pin them in and coral the Kurds for Isis to murder.
If you know about the history of the Turks it is not surprising and bring's to mind Massacres of which they are guilty such as the Genocide of the Armeniens and the greeks (the Greeks they found were not such easy targets and returned the favour upon there Turkish cousins so today both hate one another and both can point to genocided commited by the other side).
To be honest I would not have Turkey in the EU either as though they stop the desperate Kurds and even murder them they are a back door for all manner of islamic extremists to enter the EU just as Bulgaria is (though a much smaller one) today.

a reply to: LABTECH767

Isn't the Middle East just a hot mess? I wish we had men in office who would follow George Washington's lead and stop interfering in foreign affairs. But the military industrial complex took over long ago and here we are.

Apparently it's fairly safe to parade around Istanbul dressed as an ISIS thug.

originally posted by: intrptr

Turkey (NATO) trains Jihadists on its soil and sends them into Syria. I don't hear any "questions" being raised about that…

Just because you haven't heard them it doesn't mean those questions have not been raised.

Ever since the whole Kobani debacle has unfolded Turkey's motivations with regard to ISIS have been under scrutiny.

Can you post a source please?

a reply to: seabhac-rua

To your post I surely have to connect this late event:
Turkish intelligence could be involved in the murder of journalist Serena Shim

originally posted by: seabhac-rua

originally posted by: intrptr

Turkey (NATO) trains Jihadists on its soil and sends them into Syria. I don't hear any "questions" being raised about that…

Just because you haven't heard them it doesn't mean those questions have not been raised.

Proof that ongoing activity is hidden is evidenced by referring to NATO as Turkey, for one.

Ever since the whole Kobani debacle has unfolded Turkey's motivations with regard to ISIS have been under scrutiny.

My point… In the media its Turkey and ISIS, not NATO and Syria. "Under scrutiny", lol.

Can you post a source please?

You want proof that NATO wants Assad gone? Everyone knows that, you're like … what?

lest it gets buried

a reply to: intrptr

Why do I get the image that every time I respond to one of your posts, this is what we end up doing????


I'm just asking if you can provide some material for us to read about how Turkey is training ISIS fighters, as you have said. I'm not asking you to prove it.

a reply to: seabhac-rua

I'm just asking if you can provide some material for us to read about how Turkey is training ISIS fighters, as you have said.

I said Jihadists, and the link I provided addressed that.

You want ISIS? Another splinter group of several thousands that said they want their own country?

I could care less what the people the US bombs are being called today.

Anything but Syrians, I am sure.

a reply to: intrptr

Well there's a fair few getting bombed over there that aren't Syrian either.

And yes, I see that now you did not say ISIS, my bad.