The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, better known by its Turkish acronym IHH, is an Islamist charity best known for its role in the Mavi Marmara flotilla affair, although this was but one episode in a long and troubling history.
The IHH is once again showing its true colors. Late last month, the Syrian opposition reported it had captured 11 Iranian operatives inside Syria, and released a video of its Iranian captives. In a statement which was apparently coerced, the group confessed it was active in suppressing dissent inside Syria, and its leader pleaded for Supreme Leader Khamenei to withdraw Iranian forces. The semi-official Iranian press, meanwhile, said the captured Iranians were merely religious pilgrims.
Enter the IHH, a group which has now intervened to win the release the Iranian Eleven. The Iranians subsequently were detained crossing into Turkey. Alas, whereas their capture might once have provided absolute proof of Iranian human rights violations in Syria, the head of Turkish intelligence is notoriously sympathetic to Iran, and so the opportunity will be lost. The IHH may describe itself as a humanitarian organization, but in practice, its main goal is to provide aid and comfort to terrorists.
