A seminar on counter-terrorism held in collaboration with the Provincial Police and the MASK Club

A seminar titled “Information and Prevention Activities of Provincial Police” was organized in cooperation with Istanbul Medipol University Modern Research and Strategy Club (MASK) and Istanbul Police Department Counter-Terrorism Information and Prevention Activities Department (BÖF).

The event, which took place in the South Campus Conference Hall, discussed the structures of terrorist organizations in universities and the sources of terrorism in Türkiye. The panel was attended by academics and students, in particular Kübra Çelik and Enes Yıldırım from the Counter-Terrorism Department of the Turkish General Directorate of Security. In her opening speech, Kübra Çelik emphasized that the main source of terrorism is hatred and said the following: “Terrorism means oppression, violence, and fear. Türkiye has been fighting terrorism for many years due to its geographical location and the political plans that target our country. One of the main targets of terrorist organizations is young people. Therefore, it is extremely important for you to be conscious and aware individuals".

ÇELİK: TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS RAISE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT QUESTION 
Çelik explained that the recruitment process of the terrorist organizations takes place in stages, and that the illegal structures try to attract young people by using friendships, patriotic ties, religious values, social structure, and economic conditions. Emphasizing that the family ties of the individual are targeted in this process, Çelik expressed that the organizations first try to separate the person from his family and gradually manipulate him to make him ready to die and kill.

Noting that terrorist organizations never clearly state their goals, Kübra Çelik said: “No illegal organization will approach you and say: ‘Come and take action with us’. Instead, they gradually accustom you to their own ideology, play with your perceptions, and manipulate you. They create an environment where you feel deprived by using your social and economic problems and make you believe that you can find salvation on their side.”

YILDIRIM: ACT WITH AWARENESS TO PROTECT YOUR FUTURE 
Enes Yıldırım, who pointed out that information disseminated in the media and social media should be evaluated with a critical perspective, emphasized the importance of verifying a news item from multiple sources before accepting its accuracy. Yıldırım pointed out that false information and perception management can mislead the public and create a perception of disorder against the state and society. Finally, Yıldırım, who stated that the main goal of terrorist organizations is to turn individuals into people who do not question but take orders, concluded his speech with the following words: “Beware of any structure that tries to distance you from the values that make you who you are, your family, and your ties. Act consciously to protect yourself and your future, make decisions based on information and facts.”