Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front (IBDA-C)
Origins
Little information is available as to the origins of this armed group, which was established in the 1970’s by Sali Izzet Erdis, known as Salih Mirzabeyoglu.
Location / Main area of operation
The territory of Turkey.
Objectives
The IBDA-C’s main objective is to establish an Islamic State of Turkey that would replace the present secular government, which the group views as corrupt and wishes to overthrow by violent means. Certain sources also characterise this armed group as a Sunni Salafist group, as well as anti-Western, anti-Semitic, and anti-Christian.
Number of Members
The precise number of the IBDA-C’s members is unknown. However, reliable sources estimate its membership to be around 100 cadres.
Type : National
The IBDA-C is considered a national non-state armed group as its military operations have been substantially limited to the territory of Turkey.
Conflict Status : Dormant
The IBDA-C is currently not very active militarily as a consequence of the detention of hundreds of its members by the Turkish forces in 1998-2000. Nevertheless, it has not yet been dissolved and still maintains a potential to disrupt or act militarily and appears to do so sporadically.
The IBDA-C was active mainly in the 1990s with various bomb attacks perpetrated throughout the decade as well as multiple anti-Semitic operations. Additionally, it claimed responsibility for the November 2003 bomb attacks in Istanbul against two synagogues, the British Consulate and a branch of the HBSC bank, which resulted in the death of 62 people. However, most analysts put into question IBDA-C's responsibility since the group appears to lack the technical resources to prepare or carry out these closely coordinated and large-scale attacks. Rather, some analysts have suggested these attacks to be the responsibility of al-Qaeda.
Structure of the organization
Little information is available as to the structure of the IBDA-C. Nevertheless, it is reported that it is highly decentralized, made of small, autonomous cells which consist of 3 to 5 members.
Leadership
Several of the IBDA-C members were arrested in 1998-2000, including the founding leader, Salih Mirzabeyoglu. Arrested on 31 December 1998, Mirzabeyoglu is currently imprisoned in Bolu, Turkey. His replacement and the other current leaders of the group are unknown.
External aid/Third party involvement
According to Turkish authorities and certain analysts, this armed group has recently developed ties with al-Qaida to the point that some consider it as a “local ally” of al-Qaida.
Others have questioned the links to al-Qaeda, but have suggested ties to Turkish Hezbollah and Iran.
External effects of the NSAG's armed activities
The armed actions of this armed group have not had any direct external effect.
Funding
There is no information on this matter.
Relationship with the international community
The European Union includes this armed group in its list of terrorist organizations under the name of Great Islamic Eastern Warriors Front (IBDA-C).
Books
• Balencie, Jean-Marc, and de La Grange, Arnaud (2005), Les Nouveaux Mondes rebelles (Paris: éditions Michalon).
Articles and Chapters
• Cline, L.E., “From Ocalan to Al Qaida: The Continuing Terrorist Threat in Turkey,” 27.4 Studies in Conflict and Terrorism (2004), at 321-335.
• Donmez, R. (2004), “Turkey,” in Bogdan Szajkowski (ed), Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World (London: John Harper Publishing), at 485-490.
• Govett, John, “Are Istanbul Bombings of Jewish, UK Targets Also "al-Qaeda's Answer to Turkey"?” 23.1 Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (2004), at 36-37.
Reports and resolutions of intergovernmental organizations
- EU Council, Common Position 2006/380/CFSP of 29 May 2006, Official Journal of the European Communities L 144/25, 31.05.2006.
Governmental reports
- U.S. Department of State, 2003 Patterns of Global Terrorism Report, April 2004, Appendix C, “Great East Islamic Raiders- Front (IBDA-C),” at 145, available at link
Reports of think tanks and non-governmental organizations
- IISS, “Terror in Turkey,” 9.10 Strategic Comments (2003), at 1-2.
Press Information (in chronological order)
• “Police Detain Lawyer Identified as al-Qaida Leader in Turkey, 9 Other Militants,” Associate Press Worldstream, 9 December 2006.
• “Al-Qaida Cell Raid as Pope Toured,” Sunday Mail, 10 December 2006.
Interviews
• Interview with a Turkey expert, Geneva, 25 October 2007.
Internet resources
• IISS Armed Conflict Database, Non State Armed Groups, Great Eastern Islamic Raiders Front, available at link
• National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, Islamic Great Eastern Raiders Front, available at link
• Globalsecurity.org, Islamic Great Eastern Raiders/Front (IBDA/C), available at link
Statements of the armed group
Agreements involving armed groups