ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A number of suspects charged with being ISIS members and collecting funds for the group were captured by Erbil security forces (Asayesh) on Wednesday.
“On charges of being Daesh [ISIS], two persons were arrested in front of Majidi Mall in Erbil. Other people were arrested on similar charges,” said Dr. Tareeq Nuri, head of Erbil security forces, referring to financially supporting ISIS in the region.
“Investigations of these suspects are underway and once legal measures are concluded, we will reveal it to the public.”
One of the detainees is veteran Peshmerga member from an Islamic party, according to information Rudaw has obtained.
“One of the detainees is retired Peshmerga from our party … Our representatives have visited [our] Asayesh brothers and have asked for a legal and accurate investigation of this case,” Shwan Qaladzaiy, member of the Islamic Movement in Kurdistan told Rudaw.
“If it turns out nothing has been ascertained from them, we will call on the Asayesh to release him as soon as possible. If not, we will call for a just trial.”
The Islamic Movement represented one seat in the Kurdistan Region's parliament in 2014. Qaladzaiy added that the party is committed to preserving the security of the region more than anyone.
Earlier this month, the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) released five confessions of Kurdish people who were trying to join ISIS after they pledged allegiance to the group.
The group was arrested by Erbil Asayesh in Makhmour about 50 kilometers southwest of Erbil. The detained admitted that they were on their way to join the group in ISIS-controlled Hawija, south of Kirkuk.
Kurdish security forces have investigated many other ISIS militants in the past year operating within the region.
In mid-January, security forces in Sulaimani announced that they had arrested 60 ISIS militants including three leaders and killed 14 others in Sulaimani province who had infiltrated the region — many of them from Mosul.
