{"title":"Terrorism Financing Typologies: Comparison of PKK and ISIL in Turkey","authors":"Behsat Ekici, Musa Tuzuner","doi":"10.51870/eqvw6260","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This comparative case study investigated the financing typologies of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Turkey. PKK is a Marxist- Leninist organization that pursues ethnic separationist policies in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. ISIL is a radical Wahhabi network that aspires to re-establish the Caliphate and restore the “glory” of Sharia by defeating the “near” and “far” enemies. These networks are chosen for this case study as they operate in close proximity along Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian borders. In addition to primary and secondary interviews, the research has been based on content analysis of unclassified documents and media coverage on counter PKK/ISIL investigations. This study indicated that both organizations have been highly skillful in exploiting the regional licit and illicit enterprises. Financing methods of PKK and ISIL were similar in complex regional underground economic infrastructure. However, PKK has been able to develop much more sophisticated financial infrastructure than ISIL due to a longer life span and existence of specialized cadres in the Middle East and Europe. Ideology had a significant impact on differences in state sponsorship and exploitation of non-profit organizations. Both the Marxists and radical İslamists encouraged illicit trade schemes not only to generate funds but also to avoid taxation by the “hostile” regimes. ISIL has failed to develop advanced financing infrastructure mainly due to a shorter life span, loss of territorial control and the UN-US sponsored international sanctions.","PeriodicalId":38461,"journal":{"name":"Central European Journal of International and Security Studies","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Central European Journal of International and Security Studies","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.51870/eqvw6260","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"Social Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This comparative case study investigated the financing typologies of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Turkey. PKK is a Marxist- Leninist organization that pursues ethnic separationist policies in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. ISIL is a radical Wahhabi network that aspires to re-establish the Caliphate and restore the “glory” of Sharia by defeating the “near” and “far” enemies. These networks are chosen for this case study as they operate in close proximity along Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian borders. In addition to primary and secondary interviews, the research has been based on content analysis of unclassified documents and media coverage on counter PKK/ISIL investigations. This study indicated that both organizations have been highly skillful in exploiting the regional licit and illicit enterprises. Financing methods of PKK and ISIL were similar in complex regional underground economic infrastructure. However, PKK has been able to develop much more sophisticated financial infrastructure than ISIL due to a longer life span and existence of specialized cadres in the Middle East and Europe. Ideology had a significant impact on differences in state sponsorship and exploitation of non-profit organizations. Both the Marxists and radical İslamists encouraged illicit trade schemes not only to generate funds but also to avoid taxation by the “hostile” regimes. ISIL has failed to develop advanced financing infrastructure mainly due to a shorter life span, loss of territorial control and the UN-US sponsored international sanctions.
期刊介绍:
The Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS) was founded by Mitchell Belfer (Editor in Chief), David Erkomaishvili (Deputy Editor in Chief), Nigorakhon Turakhanova (Head of the Academic Centre) and Petr Kucera, in December 2006, as an autonomous wing of the Department of International Relations and European Studies at Metropolitan University Prague. The initial goal was to develop, and project globally, a uniquely Central European take on unfolding international and security issues. This entailed an initial “out-reach” programme to attract scholars from throughout the four Central European states – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic – to participate in the journal as authors and members of the Editorial and (then) Advisory Boards. By the time of the first issue however, it became clear that CEJISS was also capable of acting as a platform for non-Central European scholars to present their academic research to a more regionalised audience. From issue 1:1 in June 2007 until the present, CEJISS has become, quite literally, a two-way street—it helps Central European scholars enter international academia and international scholars enter Central Europe.