The Radicalization and Grooming of Yakup Erdal: A Turkish Jihadist Killed in Lebanon Exposed as a Victim of Iranian Intelligence

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Abdullah Bozkurt, also known as StockholmYakup Erdal, a 41-year-old Turkish jihadist, was killed in Lebanon on November 21 in an Israeli drone strike. Confidential documents obtained by Nordic Monitor reveal that Erdal was groomed by a high-ranking operative with longstanding ties to Iranian intelligence.

Erdal, a resident of the predominantly Kurdish district of Kahta in Turkey’s southeastern Adıyaman province, had spent 10 days in Istanbul before traveling to Lebanon, where he joined Hamas’s military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. He was accompanied by Seyfullah Bilal Öztürk, another Turkish jihadist who also fell victim to the same attack near the Israeli border. Both were reportedly operating under the command of Khalil Hamad Kharaz Abu Khaled, commander of the Lebanese branch of the al-Qassam Brigades.

Surprisingly, Erdal did not disclose his jihadist trip to Lebanon to any of his family members. His demise, however, was celebrated as martyrdom in Turkey and was commemorated within Islamist circles, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mehmet Metiner, a senior member of the AKP, even proposed naming a street in Erdal’s hometown in his honor.

Despite being hailed as a hero, Erdal’s background paints a different picture. He had been associated with various terrorist groups, with multiple arrests and imprisonments. However, each time he was released due to political interference in legal cases by the Islamist government and a lenient environment in the Turkish judiciary regarding the crackdown on radical Islamist groups.

Confidential documents obtained by Nordic Monitor reveal that Erdal was recruited by Nureddin Şirin, a Turkish operative with longstanding ties to the Iranian regime. Şirin had previously served eight years in prison for his role as one of the leaders of the illegal Tevhid Selam organization, which was implicated in the killing of prominent journalists and academics in Turkey during the 1990s.

Investigations revealed that Şirin was financially supported by funds sent directly from Iran, either through cash couriers or indirectly via Lebanon and Germany. He was also identified as being subordinate to Ali Akbulut, a fugitive who has sought refuge in Tehran for decades despite outstanding arrest warrants in Turkey.

Şirin managed to secure an early release in 2004 through an amnesty bill endorsed by the Erdogan government. After his release, he began reconstructing a propaganda network on behalf of Iran, establishing online sites, television channels, and publishing houses.

In 2010, Şirin openly threatened to attack Jews in Turkey during a speech, leading to a new investigation into his activities. The investigation, which implicated Şirin and numerous other suspects, was quashed by the government before public prosecutors could file an indictment or obtain arrest warrants.

Notably, Erdal was also identified in a separate investigation into a pro-al Qaeda Turkish group known as Tahşiyeciler, led by Mollah Muhammed. This group advocated armed jihad in support of Osama bin Laden and endorsed the belief that Christians and Jews were infidels who should be targeted for elimination. However, the Erdogan government intervened in the case, derailing it and securing the acquittal of all those indicted.

Erdal’s repeated brushes with the law and subsequent releases highlight the tolerance and leniency shown towards radical Islamist groups within the Turkish government. The persistent pro-Hamas and anti-Israel campaign in Turkey, supported and promoted by the government, has injected new momentum into radicalization in the country. Turkish President Erdogan’s commendation of Hamas fighters has given the jihadist cause legitimacy.

The deaths of Erdal and Öztürk have now made them symbols for radical Islamist groups in Turkey, inspiring others to join the global jihadist campaign. This raises concerns that more Turks may be observed in conflict areas in the Middle East in the future..