[Peace-discuss] Islamic State operative confesses to receiving funding through US - report

[David Johnson]

Islamic State operative confesses to receiving funding through US - report

Published time: January 28, 2015 19:30 
Edited time: January 28, 2015 20:50 

 <http://rt.com/news/227195-islamic-state-us-funding/> Get short URL 

Description: Reuters

Reuters

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Tags

 <http://rt.com/tags/al-qaeda/> Al-Qaeda,  <http://rt.com/tags/pakistan/>
Pakistan,  <http://rt.com/tags/religion/> Religion,
<http://rt.com/tags/terrorism/> Terrorism 

A man believed to be a Pakistani commander of Islamic State or Daish, Yousaf
al Salafi, has confessed to law enforcement agencies in Pakistan to getting
funds via the United States, according to a leading Pakistani newspaper
siting its sources.

Al Salafi and two companions were arrested in Lahore, Pakistan on January
22, according to AFP. 

"During investigations, Yousaf al Salafi revealed that he was getting
funding - routed through America - to run the organization in Pakistan and
recruit young people to fight in Syria," a source close to the
investigations revealed toUrdu-language Daily Express on condition of
anonymity, according to its sister English newspaper
<http://tribune.com.pk/story/828761/startling-revelations-is-operative-confe
sses-to-getting-funds-via-us/> The Express Tribune. The newspaper also
claimed that Al Salafi was in fact arrested last year sometime in December. 

Al Salafi also allegedly confessed to recruiting jihadists to send them to
Syria and was receiving about $600 per person. He also admitted that he had
been working with a Pakistani accomplice, who was reportedly the Imam of a
mosque. 

"The US has been condemning the IS activities but unfortunately has not been
able to stop funding of these organizations, which is being routed through
the US. The US had to dispel the impression that it is financing the group
for its own interests and that is why it launched offensive against the
organization in Iraq but not in Syria," a source said. 

However, it was not made clear where exactly the funds came from within the
US. 

"Yes that is true as this issue was raised several times in the local media
and even in the diplomatic corridors between US and Pakistan and there was
media reporters here suggesting that hundreds of recruits have been exported
to strain from Pakistan," a security source in Pakistan
<http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150128/1017460624.html> told Sputnik
news agency. 

The sources who spoke to the Express Tribune also revealed that the awkward
revelations had been revealed to US Secretary of State John Kerry on his
recent trip to Islamabad. 

"The matter was also taken up with CENTCOM [US Central Command] chief,
General Lloyd Austin, during his visit to Islamabad earlier this month," a
source said. 

A source told Reuters last week that Al-Salafi is a Pakistani-Syrian who
came to Pakistan via Turkey five months ago and that he had established an
ISIS group in Pakistan. 

In recent months, Pakistani media has been discussing the amount of
influence Islamic State has in Pakistan, and have cited several incidents in
the cities of Lahore and Multan where Islamic State flags and graffiti have
been seen. However Pakistani authorities have indicated that local militants
would oppose Islamic State, according to IHS Jane's defense review. 

In response to large-scale advances made by ISIS militants in June 2014 in
both Iraq and Syria, the US and other coalition countries began a
large-scale air campaign over the region. The US and the UK have sent
non-operation soldiers to Iraq, as well as special forces. 

According to Pentagon documents seen by the Associated Press on Tuesday,
President Obama will ask for a $38 billion increase for the core budget of
the Defense Department. Of this $5.3 billion will go towards training and
equipping the Iraqi armed forces and the moderate opposition in Syria in the
ongoing fight against Islamic State. 

 

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