The Islamic State is planning a series of mass jailbreaks in Iraq and Syria “to free terrorists,” Iraq’s head of military intelligence told CNN on Monday.
"Top-level leaders who fled secretly in the direction of Gaziantep [in Turkey] and other areas are key funding members of the organization, and they have vast amounts of money," Iraqi Lieutenant General Saad al-Allaq told “New Day” in an interview.
"We have concluded that the real intention of ISIS is to begin a mission they're calling 'break down the fences,' to storm jails inside Iraq and Syria, to free terrorists," al-Allaq continued.
“Huge international efforts should be taken to deal with this issue because these criminals ... are able to leave these camps and go back to their countries and thus they pose great danger in countries like Europe, Asia and northwest Africa,” he said.
Al-Allaq also said that leading ISIS figures known as “emirs,” have large amounts of cash stored in Turkey, where they’re working to establish new cells.
"Some of its important leadership fled north, I mean in the direction of neighboring countries and into border areas like Gaziantep," he said.
"They have secretly crossed into these areas from the Syrian-Turkish border -- top leaders who have money. They crossed with the help of smugglers by paying large amount of money and have secretly entered Turkish territory."
Al-Allaq said, "those elements who are right now in Turkey play a key role in the recruitment of fighters and terrorists."
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