A mufti in Turkey’s central Yozgat province gave reference letters to two out of five Syrian nationals who had prior arrests in relation to the Islamic State (ISIS), which the men used to obtain Turkish citizenship.
“The person in question is Syrian, and gives Quran lessons to children. He is of a character that loves our country. We do not believe there are any obstacles to granting him citizenship,” the province’s Mufti wrote for Meziun Jawish, a man previously arrested on charges of ISIS membership, according to official documents published by Mezopotamya Agency.
Amed Al Fahham, another man who was similarly arrested over ISIS membership, “has been working for five years for an imam who retired from our institution”, the Mufti said. Al Fahham applied for a Quran reading certificate from the office, and led congregations in prayer in one of the mosques in the city. “Our personnel knows him as a renowned man who has a good character, and is useful, in good faith, and honest,” the Mufti added.
The Yozgat gendarmerie command separately wrote to the migration directorate to detail the men’s involvement with ISIS, and urge necessary notes and follow-up for the men. The published documents do not include reference letters for the other three men who had priors.
