October 4, 2019 | Press Release

Lawyer In U.S. Case Against Turkish Bank that Allegedly Supports Hamas Details Turkey’s Financial Support of Terrorist Groups

October 4, 2019 | Press Release

Lawyer In U.S. Case Against Turkish Bank that Allegedly Supports Hamas Details Turkey’s Financial Support of Terrorist Groups

(Washington, D.C., October 4, 2019) – The lawyer representing the children of an American father and his Israeli wife murdered by Hamas terrorists in the West Bank in 2015 gives his first public interview on “FDD’s Foreign Podicy.” Attorney Jonathan Missner details Turkey’s active support of Hamas and how it is using Turkey’s financial system to transfer money it needs to fund its terrorist attacks.

Missner is representing the Henkin family estate in a lawsuit filed September 22, 2019 in New York against Kuveyt Turk Bank. The lawsuit alleges the Turkish bank helped the Palestinian terrorist group finance its terrorist attacks, including the attack in which the four Henkin children watched from the backseat as Hamas members shot their parents in their car.

“FDD’s Foreign Podicy” is a podcast produced by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. The conversation is moderated by host and FDD President Clifford D. May, and includes FDD Senior Vice President for Research Jonathan Schanzer and FDD Senior Fellow Aykan Erdemir. Among the key points from the conversation:

  • Turkey, a member of NATO, is supporting Hamas, and Hamas is using Turkey’s financial system to move money that funds terrorism. This is the first lawsuit of its kind against a Turkish bank. (Details on the lawsuit here).
  • A victory would entitle the plaintiff to “significant discovery,” meaning that banks will be required to disclose information related to processing funds on behalf of Hamas and other terrorist groups. Such discovery “will send a shockwave to other banks” who are conducting, or plan to conduct, financial transactions with terrorist groups, Missner says.
  • Turkey’s support of Hamas – which includes Hamas leaders living in Turkey and receiving medical care there – is part of a broader strategy that Erdoğan has pursued since 2010 of promoting the Muslim Brotherhood throughout the Middle East.
  • Kuveyt Turk Bank maintained an account for Jihad Yaghmour, a well-known member of Hamas and a liaison between Hamas and the Turkish government. The bank also maintained an account for IHH, Hamas’ most prominent non-governmental source of fundraising in Turkey. Bank Kuveyt also maintained an account and provided financial services to the Islamic University of Gaza, which is largely run by Hamas members, and is a principle source of recruitment for Hamas.

FDD’s Foreign Podicy is available on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify – and anywhere else podcasts are available.

About FDD:
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based non-partisan policy institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. Visit our website at fdd.org and connect with us on TwitterFacebook, and YouTube.

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Issues:

Iran-backed Terrorism Lawfare Palestinian Politics Sanctions and Illicit Finance Turkey