Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm
Sami Al-Arian, a senior figure in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) who was convicted on terrorism charges in the United States, is continuing his activities in Turkey with the support of resources provided by the Islamist government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Although the PIJ is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey’s strategic partners, the US and the EU, the Erdogan government provides platforms for PIJ-linked individuals to operate freely. These people exploit Turkey’s resources to spread antisemitic narratives, promote jihadism and radicalize the Turkish population — with Al-Arian emerging as a key figure.
Exploiting heightened sensitivities surrounding the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict, Al-Arian frequently appears on state-run media outlets such as TRT World — an English-language arm of the taxpayer-funded Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) — and the Anadolu news agency. He denounces the West, particularly the US and its key Middle Eastern ally, Israel, calls for the dismantling of the Jewish state, defends terrorist attacks and promotes jihadist rhetoric.
He has also been featured as a writer for Daily Sabah, a newspaper owned by Erdogan’s family; Insight Turkey, a journal published by the SETA Foundation, which is linked to Turkish intelligence; as well as the pro-Hamas online news outlet Middle East Eye and the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera network.
Since his conditional release from prison in the US following a guilty plea, subsequent deportation and his welcome by the Erdogan government in 2015, Al-Arian has enjoyed Erdogan’s protection, generous access to government-provided resources and close ties with Turkish Islamist organizations
Upon his arrival, he was promptly hired by the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU), an institution overseen by Erdogan’s son, Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, and established by the Islamist İlim Yayma Vakfı foundation. In 2017 he was further empowered with the creation of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (İslam ve Küresel İlişkiler Merkezi in Turkish, CIGA) at the university, which serves as a platform for Al-Arian to engage with both Turkish and international partners to amplify his message.
Al-Arian has cultivated relationships with key Turkish officials, including İbrahim Kalın, head of Turkey’s national intelligence agency (MIT), and Serkan Kayalar, president of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), which manages a multibillion lira budget and operates in 61 countries through liaison offices.
He has publicly dismissed the possibility of peace negotiations with Israel, stating that such talks would be futile. He also rejects a two-state solution for Palestinians, arguing that the Palestinian issue is the only cause capable of mobilizing people worldwide. He has called for confrontations with Zionists in every corner of the world.
Al-Arian has openly praised Hamas’s terrorist attacks in Israeli territory, including hostage-taking, branding them as a major success. “For the first time since 1973, Israel was hit in its own territory, proving that its security doctrine is no longer effective. The myths of deterrence, early warning and rapid military resolution have collapsed,” he said in an interview with a local Islamist website in Turkey in June 2024.
“Today, groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Ansarullah and the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Movement are attacking Israel without deterrence,” he said, adding, “Despite its advanced surveillance and technological capabilities, Israel failed to anticipate or prevent this attack. This has shattered confidence in its intelligence apparatus and military leadership.”
In an article published on August 21, 2024, on the same website, he predicted the destruction of Israel following what he described as its strategic defeat. “We are now entering a new phase of the conflict, and we must be prepared for it. … Yes, the price we have paid is immense. However, in the end, this struggle will lead to the dissolution of the racist entity [Israel] and liberation, while our martyrs will be granted eternity and paradise,” Al-Arian wrote.
He has also propagated the idea that Israel poses a direct threat to Turkey and will use all available resources to weaken it, including terrorist groups. This aligns with President Erdogan’s recent rhetoric, as he has, for the first time in Turkey’s history, officially labeled Israel as a national security threat while defending Hamas and other jihadist groups’ attacks.
In an interview on August 27, 2024, Al-Arian advocated for a complete severing of Turkish-Israeli ties, stating, “Turkey must impose a complete trade blockade on Israel. Moreover, Turkey should adopt a strict policy and take decisive actions against Israel to sever ties between the two countries.” Turkey had already halted all imports and exports with Israel last year.
Al-Arian’s wife, Nahla, has also attracted attention due to her participation in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University. New York City Mayor Eric Adams claimed that individuals with ties to terrorism were present at these protests. A photo of Nahla, shared by Al-Arian on his social media account, was cited as evidence of outside agitators. Over 170 people were arrested at Columbia University and the City College of New York, facing charges including trespassing and criminal mischief.
Full text of the US federal indictment against Al-Arian and his associates:
al-arian_indictment_022003
Al-Arian’s legal battles in the US exposed his deep involvement with PIJ and militant Palestinian figures. He was arrested in February 2003 on charges of being the PIJ’s US leader and secretary of its worldwide governing body, the Shura Council. The charges included conspiracy to commit murder, providing material support to a terrorist organization, conspiracy to receive contributions for designated terrorists and money laundering.
In 2006 Al-Arian reached a plea deal, admitting to one count of conspiracy to provide services to the PIJ in exchange for the dismissal of other charges. He was sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
During sentencing, US District Judge James Shelton Moody Jr. condemned Al-Arian as a “master manipulator” who deceived his neighbors and supporters. “You looked your neighbors in the eye and said you had nothing to do with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. This trial exposed that as a lie,” Moody said.
Transcript of the sentencing hearing for Al-Arian:
sentencing_al-Arian
The judge cited evidence of Al-Arian’s leadership role in the PIJ, including his efforts to secure continued funding from Iran. “When Iran, the major funding source of the PIJ, became upset because it could not account for its spending, it was to your board of directors that it turned for answers,” Moody said.
Further, Moody accused Al-Arian of supporting terrorist attacks rather than preventing them. He referenced a 1995 suicide bombing in Beit Lid, where attackers targeted a crowded bus station, killing passengers and emergency responders. Instead of condemning the attack, Al-Arian reportedly used it to solicit donations for future attacks.
Moody read from a letter Al-Arian sent to a Kuwaiti legislator, praising the attack as an act of defiance: “The latest operation carried out by the two mujahideen who were martyred for the sake of God is the best guide and witness to what the believing few can do in the face of Arab and Islamic collapse.”
The judge further criticized Al-Arian’s hypocrisy, pointing out that while his own children attended prestigious American universities, he encouraged others to send their children on suicide missions. “Your children attend the finest universities this country has to offer while you raise money to blow up the children of others,” Moody stated.
Now operating under the guise of academia and bolstered by open support and protection from the Erdogan government, Al-Arian frequently appears on Turkey’s state-owned television network, contributes to print and online media and delivers keynote speeches at panel discussions and conferences both in Turkey and abroad, promoting anti-US and anti-Israel narratives to a wider audience.
