Yunus Emre Sakarya, a Turkish-German citizen member of ISIS, wanted by an Interpol red warrant, has been in the hands of the SDF for two years. 

Sakarya is competent on the activities of al-Qaeda and ISIS in Germany, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Turkey.

Sakarya, who had close relations with jihadists since 2008, took part in the Nation of Abraham in Germany, al-Qaeda organization in Germany, al-Nusra in Syria and ISIS in Syria. In Germany and Europe Sakarya was active in al-Qaeda-ISIS, and in 2012 he went through Turkey to Egypt and then moved on to Libya.

Sakarya took part in the attack (on 12 September 2012) against the US Ambassador Chris Stevens  in Bengasi, in Libya.

Four embassy employees as well as the ambassador were killed as a result of the attack. At that time, Sakarya, before going to Turkey and then Libya with the the passaport prepared for him by the al-Qaeda-Libyan government, was in charge of the military-electronic logistics for ISIS in Turkey.

ISIS member Yunus Emre Sakarya was born in Cologne in 1991, held a secondary school diploma and had dual Turkish-German citizenship. Originally from Çankırı, Sakarya was arrested in 2008 in an attempt of action involving arms in Germany with his brother and a Turkish friend. Sakarya, who was sentenced to 3 years, was released on parole in 2010. 

Stating that his first meeting with jihadists happened at that time, Sakarya said: “On 4 October 2008, we went on holiday to Florida with my family. At that time I was interested in the idea of ​​jihad and followed the 11 September 2000 attacks in the United States. After my return I contacted an al-Qaeda member on the Internet. He was broadcasting al-Qaeda videos over the Internet. I planned action against American soldiers with his directions and order. I tried to trade guns but couldn't. So we planned to kill German police and raid American bases with their guns, but I got caught. The others were released. I was not affiliated with any organization at that time. Two years later, I was released.” 

Right arm of Abu Osama

After getting out of prison, Sakarya is associated with a group called Piya Fogil, and he meets the famous al-Qaeda and ISIS member Ubu Usema Gharib. Sakarya explained how his logistic career with the jihadists started in this period and said: “I went and met Abu Usema Gharib. The fact that I tried to organize action before was a reference for me. He was accompanied by an American black rapper Abu Talha. Abu Talha started shooting videos with Abu Usema. My logistics career began there. I was picking up all the stuff. I was introducing them to people. I was buying cameras and voice recorders. Flags needed to be printed, and I was bringing all the money for this. I was acting with Abu Usema, working as a driver for him. In this process I met many jihadists. In 2002, I met Reda Seyam, who was responsible for the explosions in Indonesia / Bali.

Videos made in Germany

Yunus Emre Sakarya took part in the formation of an organization called Nation Ibrahim Jamaat affiliated to Al Qaeda with Abu Usema Gharib in Germany. Sakarya describes that time as follows: “From that moment I was traveling from city to city in Germany with Abu Usema, he introduced me to people. At that time, Abu Usema founded an organization called Nation Ibrahim in almost every big city. It was shown as if it was set up to invite jihad outside. Essentially, organizations were set up, someone was preparing fake documents, stealing and selling goods for finance. Someone had connections. Al-Qaeda was sending videos from Africa, Somalia and Afghanistan, and they were being reassembled in Berlin. Then they were sent back to their places, and Al Qaeda acted as they had made them themselves. Al-Qaeda's very professional-looking media were all being prepared in Germany.”

From Turkey to Egypt

Sakarya after the arrest of two people from the Nation of Abraham in 2012 decided to go to Egypt. 

Sakarya said: “German intelligence was following me and Abu Usema Gharib for 24 hours. Sometimes they would call Abu Usema and say, What are you doing in this city? At that time, Nation Abraham's extreme right-wing demonstrations were organized, in Born there was the stabbing of a police. Later the two people who were arrested with a bomb in 2012 were released and ended up heading the Nation Ibrahim. Abu Usema was going to Egypt and told me to go with him. So I drove to Istanbul with my brother. After two weeks at Bomonti Hilton we did our shopping and flew to Cairo.”

Two bombers taken out of Germany

Sakarya continued: “In 2012, two people were arrested for making bombs in Germany and released for lack of evidence. When they came out, they destroyed the evidence and the bomb. They went from Germany to Egypt with weapons and through a Group of human smugglers known as Hell Angels. When they left Germany were drove by the Angels of Hell to Belgium and they were issued fake German passports. The Angels gave them 5,000 euros per person. They flew from Brussels airport. One of them went to Iraq and one came to Egypt to join us.”

Military Education in Libya

The members of the al-Qaeda Nation Ibrahim decided to move to Libya some time after Egypt. Sakarya and his brother İsmail Sakarya are also in this group. Al-Qaeda and famous names of ISIS such as Reda Seyam arrived in Libya, and before that they received military training in the Egyptian-Libyan border. Sakarya and his brother together with the Nation Ibrahim members go first to Tobruk and then Derna.

Stating that Derna was the center of the jihadists at that period, Sakarya said: “There were no soldiers and police officers of the government. There, the jihadists who received military training. From there they attacked cities like Bengasi. We stayed in Gaddafi's old court palace in Derna. It had a huge garden and lounges. There we received military and ideological training in the building and in the garden. We learned about all types of weapons. Abu Usema gave us ideological education.”

Attack on US Consulate

Yunus Emre Sakarya was also involved in the attack carried out by al-Qaeda to the US Consulate on 12 September  2012. As a result of the attack, the US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three embassy workers lost their lives. Sakarya explains the attack and his role in it: “The building where we stayed in Derna was in the hands of Ensar Bank. They were Al Qaeda's branch in Libya. Then they came to the palace of justice where we were staying. At that time, about 10-15 people from the solid ones were picked up. They didn't tell us what it was for.

We got into cars and came to Bengasi. They separated in teams of 3-4 people. We also had local people who they called ‘ensar’. There was a German / Moroccan named Abu Amina of the Nation Abraham with me. He was a close friend of mine from Germany. He was translating instructions from Arabic to German for me. Our mission was to cut the roads there. There was a place. From there, Ensar Bank would attack the consulate. We've also established a check-point with instructions to check each car. Our mission was to protect the front. Then there was a lot of fighting all night long. The vehicles came and took us back to Derna in the morning. We learned from the news that the Americans were dead.

Asked whether the 12 September 2012 American Consulate attack had been organised by Al-Qaeda Sakarya answered: “Ansar Ul Sheria, is a branch of al-Qaeda, yes. Of course, they were not the only ones, because it was such an action, and Libya is such a mixed place, that a variety of groups came.  Anyone could come. Another organisation, say Ensar Bank, won’t say “We did it alone, not you”.

Sakarya explained of the hard times they had after the consular attack, both because of the reconnaissance planes activity, and the public harsh reaction. He said they were stuck in Derna. Jihadists tried to go to Mali but the French did not let them pass. Sakarya said that it was then when they decided to move to Syria.

Al-Qaida-government passport

Sakarya said he was given a passport made by the Libyan al-Qaeda Ansar Ul-Sharia through government connections.

The  winner of the election held in Libya in July 2012, was the Turkish-backed  National Forces Alliance.

Sakarya said: “Ansar Al-Sharia had arranged for us real official Libyan passports. They did so through their contacts in government. The government was not close to us, but was not fighting against us either. Nor did it prevent our attacks. I mean, it was something different. It was willing to crush his own soldiers. Every night there was protest in Benghazi.”

In Turkey we relaxed

Yunus Emre Sakarya, said he flew from Tripoli airport to Istanbul on January 2013 with official Libyan passports. He traveled with his brother, the person wanted for the bomb in Germany and his wife.

“We were bearded. - he said - There was no camouflage dress. Al-Qaida never called us as we were boarding, next to us was a person from Ansar Al-Sharia, who had a grenade in his pocket and a gun in his waist. He got us on a plane. ‘You sit there, you sit there,’ he said. Our clothes were long coat, short pants. We had a beard. The bomber's name was Samir. His wife was veiled. We went in first, others would come after us. If there was any problem they would take precautions. We went quite comfortably. Semir and his wife left the airport; he went to Antep or Urfa. Me and my brother stayed at the Bomonti Hilton for two weeks in Istanbul. We did our shopping in Istanbul. There was no problem.”

Two weeks later, Sakarya and his brother went from Istanbul to Hatay and met with Abu Usema Gharib, who was working for al-Qaeda in Hatay during that time, and then went to Syria to join al-Nusra front. 

“Abu Osama gave me two options: You can either join the jihad, or you hang out on your own. I said, ‘There is no problem with join the jihad. I will go to the Front Al Nusra.’ I liked carrying guns, having war. Ever since I was little, like in movies. Ever since I was little, I've always been so enthusiastic about watching American war films. I mean, I wanted to handle arms. Jihad suited me well. There you can kill anyone you want.”

A police Commander in Jarablus

After meeting with Abu Osama Gharib, who was wanted in various countries, they went to Idlib via Reyhanlı and join the Al Nusra Front. After having a military training here, the Sakarya brothers who fought in Aleppo passed to Jarablus. They joined ISIS in September or October 2013 at the time of the Nusra-ISIS separation in Jarablus. 

Yunus Emre Sakarya, working as ISIS police commander in Jarablus, said that both he and his brother got married. He explains that his brother's wife is Chechen, and that they had problems with a man of Chechen origin, Abu Chechen from the ISIS top management and that he contacted some senior ISIS staff on this issue.

Sakarya said that Abu Osama Gharib was released from prison with an exchange with the Turkish Consul in Mosul. It was an exchange between the Turkish state and ISIS and Gharib was sent to Syria. “We told Abu Osama to find a solution to our problem. Abu Osama Gharib was then captured in Hatay. When I moved to Syria, he stayed in Hatay and was providing connections. He was caught in Turkey in 2013. He was in a Turkish prison and had internet. We talked to him on the Internet. Abu Osama sent me to Reda Seyam who had also come to ISIS. Seyam was in a high position and helped us, he made mistakes.

Abu Osama was wanted in Germany and Austria at that time. He was released as part of the exchange on the Turkish Mosul consul between ISIS and the Turkish state. I later heard from Abu Osama himself about his release…