A document claiming to be from a southeast Asian chapter of the Islamic State Hacking Division states that ISIS is ready for cyberwar with Turkey if the republic does not free jihadists caught trying to cross into the caliphate.
A handbook released by ISIS earlier this year detailed a web of sympathizers utilized on the Turkish side of the 500-mile border with Syria to smuggle in recruits from around the world. This includes special safehouses for women wanting to go to the Islamic State.
“Lately things have got harder at the Turkish border, so Islamic State members often meet new people in Turkey hotels and smuggle them across the border,” the guide said, stressing safehouses can only be accessed with “a paper signed by an existing member to show he is trustworthy.” It added that “the only reason members live in Turkey in some peace is because Turkey fears revenge attacks.”
Faced with international criticism and high-profile cases of teens running away to join the caliphate, Turkey has been making notable arrests including nine Brits nabbed last week trying to cross illegally into Syria. Among that group was Waheed Ahmed, the 21-year-old son of a Labour Party council member, and four small children.
In the past few days, Turkish border guards have caught people from Switzerland, Kosovo, Syria, Tajikistan, Russia, China and Iraq trying to sneak into Syria. A Dutch woman who Turkish officials said was sought by Interpol was also apprehended in the flurry of detainments.
Turkey’s Sabah newspaper reports “both the number and the variety of people illegally trying to cross the border has increased” since Turkey started cracking down on the ISIS pipeline, which consists not only of foreign fighters but smuggled goods.
Now, ISIS is warning Turkey to let their would-be caliphate citizens go or face the cyber consequences.
The warning, titled “Fight Them with Every Power,” was posted by the “MIT” cyber team of the Islamic State Hacking Division — Mujahidin Indonesia Timor.
It decries the “brothers who became prisoners when seeking to move to the caliphate” and those “repatriated back to their Kufr states” after being caught.
“Pay attention and take note of our terror threat, Erdogan!” it says, demanding that all destined for the Islamic State be immediately released “without condition” and deportations canceled for those designated to be returned to their home countries.
“By God, we will launch our attack in cyberspace to be a helper for our brothers” if all demands are not met.
The PDF released by the group cites numerous Quranic verses and warns against taking part in “this infidel coalition warfare.”
“You have seen our terror, you have been shocked by the terror… even through cyberspace. We who terrorize you with a variety of media releases, we are responsible for the publication of the identity of the soldiers (US. Army),” it states, referring to last month’s posting of the names, photos and addresses of 100 American service members with a call to ISIS recruits in the U.S. to kill them.
“If you say this as a joke (we hope so), wait until we arrive in front of your home and cut down your neck as Qisas
for the carnage you did to the Muslims,” it adds. Qisas is the Islamic principle ISIS said justified the murder by fire of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh.
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