Levent Kenez/Stockholm
In a press release in Turkish and Arabic on October 13, the Association of Justice Defenders Strategic Studies Center (ASSAM), a front organization run by private military contractor SADAT, which many believe is a de facto paramilitary force loyal to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, praised the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, making a series of contentious claims regarding the Israeli response. SADAT proposed the deployment of an army comprising Islamic countries in the region to put an end to Israel’s occupation.
SADAT described the Hamas attacks as a natural response to Israel’s years of isolation, oppression and torture in Palestine. The organization emphasized that it was a manifestation of the Palestinian people’s rebellion against their confinement in an open-air prison, where they have been denied their homeland for decades.
SADAT characterizes Israel as a “state of terror, while Hamas, which is labeled as a terrorist organization by the West, is referred to as the “Gaza government.”
The statement also pointed to the underlying “Crusade-like” mentality directed towards the Islamic world, as perceived by the Palestinian people. SADAT underscored that the West’s framing of these conflicts as “religious wars” only exacerbates the situation.
According to SADAT, Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 had a profound impact on Israel and its allies, claiming that for the first time in its history, the Israeli population was compelled to leave the country.
“Simultaneously, Western countries, particularly the United States, which had not shown such swift reactions to regional events, immediately expressed unwavering support. This remarkable response was attributed to the perceived damage incurred by Zionist Israel, despite the US’s prior restrained reactions to events in the region,” the press release reads.
The press release also highlighted the recent visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel, pointing to his words when he stated, “I stand before you not only as the US Secretary of State but also as a Jew.” The visit was seen as a move to regain psychological superiority in the war. Sending the US and British navies to the eastern Mediterranean is a concrete manifestation of the Crusader-Zionist alliance, SADAT claims.
SADAT concluded its press release by drawing attention to the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where civilians, including women and children, are bearing the brunt of a relentless assault. The organization condemned the attacks and criticized Western countries for not only remaining silent but also for supporting the aggression.
In a call for immediate action, SADAT urged 57 Islamic nations under the banner of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to issue a joint declaration, provide a 48-hour window for Israel to cease its disproportionate force and consider the implementation of boycotts and embargoes if Israel fails to comply. The organization also called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in Gaza.
SADAT proposed a long-term solution, suggesting the creation of an alliance modeled after ASSAM’s extended efforts to create a confederation of Islamic countries with a peacekeeping force capable of addressing occupation and crisis regions across Muslim countries.
The secretary-general of ASSAM previously claimed that the world is ruled by the Jews and that “there will surely come a day in the future when trees and stones will speak and say, “O Muslim! Come and kill the Jew hiding behind me,” an apocalyptic prediction often voiced by radicals.
Accusing Jews of being a tribe that has caused strife throughout history, retired colonel Nejat Özden wrote, “The world is a Jewish prison that has come under the dominance of Jewish Nazism-Political Zionism, whether openly or secretly,” in an article full of antisemitic arguments that was published on ASSAM’s website on July 16, 2021.
Özden also claimed that Jews conceal their identities and influence the policies of the countries they reside in for the purpose of Jewish domination of the world. Özden, who also insulted US President Joe Biden, wrote that Biden, whom he described as a “bucket head,” bowed down before Zionism.
According to Özden, the Jews’ ultimate goal is to create a “Greater Israel.” “To achieve that, Turkish President Erdogan must be removed and Turkey must be destroyed by the Jews.
SADAT, with its involvement in several Arab and African countries, has been providing military training and advice on military strategies aligned with the Turkish defense industry, which is predominantly controlled by Erdogan’s family and close associates.
SADAT has long been a subject of debate in Turkey due to its opaque structure and involvement in suspicious relationships. It has been the target of many allegations, ranging from the training of jihadists in Syria and Turkey to the transfer of fighters to Libya. The organization’s role was also questioned during a controversial coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, which many believe was a false flag that President Erdogan used to purge his opponents within the military. Retired officers affiliated with SADAT were reported to have organized the public in the streets during the attempted coup and proudly claimed to have fought against the renegade soldiers.
SADAT was established by Adnan Tanrıverdi and his associates on February 22, 2012. Tanrıverdi is a former military officer who served as a chief advisor to Erdogan for years. He had to leave his position following a Nordic Monitor report that he had been working to pave the way for the long-awaited Mahdi (prophesied redeemer of Islam), for whom the entire Muslim world is waiting. The implication was that President Erdogan was the expected leader and mahdi.
ASSAM’s president, Adnan Tanrıverdi, has been alleged to have provided profiling lists that included the names of officers considered to be opponents of President Erdogan within the military. These lists are believed to have been used for the purge of thousands of pro-NATO officers following the coup attempt in 2016.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry in 2021 reluctantly confirmed that retired military officers who belong to SADAT sat on military examination boards and participated in recruitment interviews.
In June 2020 UN rapporteurs sought information from the Turkish government about its role in recruiting, financing and deploying Syrian fighters to Libya. Allegations indicated that Turkey deployed mercenaries, including children, from Syrian armed groups to support the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. A UN letter revealed the involvement of Turkey’s paramilitary contractor, SADAT, in these operations, enlisted to assist with the selection of soldiers and their travel documentation.
In 2021 Turkish mobster and Erdogan’s former ally Sedat Peker exposed SADAT’s role in facilitating the illegal transportation of arms and supplies to armed jihadist groups in Syria. In a recorded FaceTime conversation published by Peker himself, he confirmed his participation in sending arms under the pretext of humanitarian aid to Syria in cooperation with SADAT.
In a video obtained by Nordic Monitor from a radio interview in 2021, Melih Tanrıverdi, CEO of SADAT, admitted publicly that the firm works with Turkish intelligence agency MIT and coordinates actions with Turkish diplomats and defense officials.
Most recently, Melih Tanrıverdi was present in the official delegation during President Erdogan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar in June.
