The Shadows of Evil
June 3, 2010
 

The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, often given as just IHH, is a Turkish Islamic NGO active in more than one hundred countries, all over the world. Officially established in 1995, IHH provides humanitarian relief into areas of war, earthquake, hunger and conflict. The IHH holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2004.

IHH was one of the organizers of the Gaza flotilla, an aid flotilla of six ships carrying 663 activists from 37 nations intended to break through the blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies. The ships were raided and seized by Israeli naval forces on May 31, 2010, resulting in at least 10 deaths and prompting international reaction.

The IHH was established in 1992 and officially registered in Istanbul in 1995.

A French intelligence report concluded that in the mid-1990s, IHH president Bulent Yildrim was directly involved in "recruiting veteran soldiers in anticipation of the coming holy war [jihad]. In particular, some men were sent into war zones in Muslim countries in order to acquire combat experience."

In 2006, the Danish Institute for International Studies published a report titled "The Role of Islamic Charities in International Terrorist Recruitment and Financing", by American analyst Evan Kohlman. Kohlman claimed that major international Islamic charities such as IHH, while providing genuine humanitarian relief, are "charitable front groups that provide support to Al-Qaeda."

A 1996 CIA report on terrorist abuse of charities, declassified after the September 11 attacks, documented IHH as a charity with ties to "Iran and Algerian groups." According to the report, the director of the IHH office in Sarajevo "has been linked to Iranian operatives." The report described "the terrorist related activities and linkages" of fifteen selected "Islamic NGOs," noting that "individuals connected to some of these NGOs have plotted to kidnap or kill U.S. personnel."

IHH is a member of the "Union of Good" (Itelaf al-Khair, also known as the "Charity Coalition"). According to Palestinian intelligence, this organization "is considered -- with regard to material support -- one of the biggest Hamas supporters." Israel outlawed the Union of Good in February 2002, and the United States named it a specially designated global terrorist entity in November 2008.

According to a French intelligence report, the terrorist infiltration of IHH extended to its most senior ranks. An examination of IHH’s phone records in Istanbul showed repeated telephone calls in 1996 to an Al-Qaeda guesthouse in Milan and various Algerian terrorist operatives active elsewhere in Europe – including the notorious Abu el-Ma`ali, who has been subsequently termed by U.S. officials as a “junior Usama Bin Laden.”

The flotilla embarked on its journey toward Gaza in late May of 2010. For several days, Israel issued warnings that the ships would not be permitted to reach Gaza without first undergoing an inspection of their cargoes. But the respective crews refused to comply; thus Israeli commandos intercepted the flotilla in the early morning hours of May 31. The IHH affiliated activists responded violently, attacking the commandos with knives, clubs and pistol fire. In the melee that ensued, nine activists were killed and seven Israeli soldiers were wounded.

A French intelligence report...
A Danish report...
A CIA report....
A Palestinian intelligence report....
Another French intelligence report....

And you wonder why Israel has a blockade and will not let these 'hate boats' through?

Look closely for Evil. It hides in the shadows.
It cannot stand in the Light.