November 19, 2014 | Press Release

New Report Chronicles Flow of Jihadists, Money to the Islamic State from Turkey

WASHINGTON – The Foundation for Defense of Democracies today released a new report chronicling the terrorism financing, weapons smuggling, illegal oil sales, and fighters streaming from southeastern Turkey into Syria. 

The report, written by Jonathan Schanzer and Merve Tahiroglu, is the first product from FDD’s new Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance (CSIF). “Bordering on Terrorism: Turkey’s Syria Policy and the Rise of the Islamic State” highlights a growing national security challenge, while also suggesting strategies for ending it. 

Currently, the United States and Turkey are at an impasse on how to address the challenges of both the Islamic State and the Assad regime in Syria. Turkey refuses to allow the U.S.-led coalition to launch military strikes from its territory, and has been unwilling to assist Kurdish fighters in Kobani just across its border.  At the same time, the Turkish border remains a crucial transit point for illegal oil sales, arms transfers and foreign fighters that have served to benefit the Islamic State. 

“All of this has raised questions about Turkey’s value as an American ally, and its place in the NATO alliance,” the report says. “The IS crisis has put Turkey and the U.S. on a collision course.”

The full report is available here.

CSIF is a new project designed to illuminate the critical intersection between illicit finance and national security. The Center relies on regional and sanctions expertise within FDD, including a core cadre of financial, economic, and area experts and analysts, to promote a greater understanding of illicit financing and economic threats. The center also designs creative and effective strategies, doctrines, and uses of financial and economic power to attack and protect against priority threats and vulnerabilities.

Schanzer is vice president for research at FDD and CSIF. He worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he played an integral role in the designation of numerous terrorist financiers. He recently authored an article for Politico Magazine suggesting it may be time for Turkey to be removed from the NATO alliance.

Tahiroglu is a research associate at FDD and CSIF focusing on Turkey. A native of Turkey, her research focuses on Turkey’s foreign policy, domestic politics, and Ankara’s ties to Tehran. She earned her B.A in political science with a concentration in international relations from Duke University in 2013.

About the Foundation for Defense of Democracies:
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)3 policy institute focusing on foreign policy and national security. Founded in 2001, FDD combines policy research, democracy and counterterrorism education, strategic communications and investigative journalism in support of its mission to promote pluralism, defend democratic values and fight the ideologies that drive terrorism. Visit our website at www.defenddemocracy.org and connect with us on TwitterFacebook and YouTube.

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