Al Qaida recruiting Turks to battle NATO in Afghanistan
ANKARA -- Turkish security sources said Ankara has been identifying Turks as Al Qaida fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan.They said at least 100 Turks were believed have joined the Islamic revolt by Al Qaida and Taliban against the NATO stabilization force, which includes Turkey.
"Most of the Turks have served as low-level fighters," a Turkish security source said.
In September 2010, Turkey identified at least two of its nationals from the 140 Al Qaida and Taliban fighters killed in U.S. air strikes in Afghanistan. The insurgents were identified as Mustafa Uykuz and Bahri Geker, also known as Abu Muaz and Abu Jamil.
The sources said Al Qaida has established recruiting cells in several major Turkish cities, including Ankara and Istanbul. They said the Turkish recruits were ordered to make their way east through Iran and Pakistan to Al Qaida and Taliban camps in Afghanistan.
"Turkey has turned into a major waystation for Al Qaida," the source said.
Hamas security forces being trained in Turkey
GAZA CITY -- The Hamas regime has expanded security cooperation with Turkey.Palestinian sources said current and former Turkish officers were training the Hamas regime in an effort to enhance its control of the Gaza Strip. The sources said the training was taking place mostly in Turkey by personnel linked to the ruling Justice and Development Party.
"The training has been very helpful and introduced new methods," a Palestinian source familiar with the cooperation said.
The sources said Turkey began training Hamas security forces in 2009 in wake of the war with Israel in the Gaza Strip. They said scores of Hamas officers underwent courses in Turkey in such areas as anti-riot, counter-intelligence and surveillance in what has been known as "train-the-trainer."
"Hamas is much stronger today on political, security and military levels," Hamas leader Ismail Radwan said.
The sources said Turkey has also been training Hamas supporters in Israel. They said Hamas was trying to send Israeli Arabs, with easy access to Turkey, for security and explosives training.
The Turkish cooperation has been arranged through Hamas' political bureau based in Damascus, the sources said. They said Turkey, working with Saudi Arabia, has been regarded as one of the closest allies of Hamas.
The sources said Hamas and Turkey enhanced their relations in 2010 during preparations to send a flotilla of ships to the Gaza Strip. They said Ankara represented growing Western support for Hamas, particularly for diplomatic support.
"We have become part of the regional equation," Radwan said.
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