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Confidential information obtained by the site “Nordic Monitor” reveals that a key figure in the “ISIS-Khorasan” organization was secretly moving in and out of Turkey under multiple identities, including that of a refugee and a foreign businessman.

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Ismatullah Khalozai, who was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department as an international intermediary for ISIS in Khorasan Province on November 22, 2021, was using Turkey as a central logistical hub for the movement of funds and fighters, according to the “Arab Center for the Study of Extremism”.

Although Turkish authorities were aware of his covert activities on behalf of the terrorist group, Khalozai was not subjected to asset freezing by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government until March 23, 2022, four months after the U.S. blacklisted him, and only after a request from the U.S. government.

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However, the presidential decree issued by Erdoğan to freeze Khalozai’s assets omitted critical identifying details, including the national identification number he was assigned by the Migration Management Authority, a part of the Ministry of Interior. This national ID number applies to both Turkish citizens and foreign residents in Turkey.

While the decree listed several aliases used by Khalozai—including Ismatullah Khalozai, Abdul Ahad Halima, Okasha Jarrar, Mohammad Qasim Haqzad, and Shir Omar Khail—none of these names was accompanied by a national ID number. This omission is significant as such a number is necessary for effectively tracking individuals regarding their government-related transactions, including taxes, health services, and sanctions, according to the report.

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By omitting this crucial detail, the decree severely hindered the efforts of Turkish government bodies and financial institutions, such as banks, to track Khalozai and implement the asset freeze penalty against him. In Turkey, where almost all banking and government transactions require this identification number, this oversight allowed Khalozai to continue his activities largely uninterrupted.

Following increasing pressure on Turkey, President Erdoğan issued a second decree on December 9, 2022—nine months after the initial decision—adding one ID number—99401582772—to the description. This ID number was allocated to Khalozai under what appears to be his alias, Mohammad Qasim Haqzad.

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The information obtained by “Nordic Monitor” and reported by the “Arab Center for the Study of Extremism” reveals that Haqzad registered himself as an Afghan citizen, stated that his date of birth is November 13, 1977, and mentioned that his parents’ names are Nazouk and Khodaybiran. No information regarding his place of residence in Turkey was provided, which is somewhat unusual.

How he managed to register multiple times despite fingerprinting and biometric verification procedures conducted by the Migration Agency remains a mystery. This could either result from significant influence from a powerful ally or bribery—a plausible scenario given the endemic corruption within the Ministry of Interior and its affiliated agencies, including the police, gendarmerie, and Migration Authority.

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Additionally, Khalozai registered himself under the alias Shir Omar Khail at the local branch of the Migration Agency in the city of Karaman, Turkey, as a refugee, and obtained a national ID number ending in 4550. He stated that his birthplace is Kunduz in Afghanistan, identified his parents as Sherin Gul and Noor Muhammad, noted his date of birth as January 1, 1993, and declared his residence as an apartment at 2 160th Street, downtown Karaman.

In the neighboring province of Konya, Khalozai registered again under another alias, Abdul Ahad Halima, and obtained a national ID number ending in 9088. This time, he recorded his date of birth as January 1, 1983, identified his parents as a camel owner and Murad, and stated that his declared residence was an apartment on Irshah Street in the Olubatli Hasan neighborhood in the Karatay area of Konya.

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The cities of Konya and Karaman are strongholds of the ruling Justice and Development Party led by President Erdoğan. Extremists and jihadists often find it easier to integrate here due to the local populace’s sympathies towards radical Islamists.