Jama’a Islamiyya leaders are Erdogan’s lackeys, says group insider

Jama’a Islamiyya leaders in Turkey are only interested in money and work to curry favors with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for him to extend their residence permits in his country, a former senior member of the organization said.

Rabie Shalaby added on Monday that the same leaders do everything possible to woo the Muslim Brotherhood and the Turkish government.

Shalaby described Jama’a Islamiyya leaders, Mohamed Shawqi al-Islambouli, Mamdouh Ali Youssef and Tarek al-Zumar as “very good” at mass mobilization.

Jama’a Islamiyya, he said, formed militias with the aim of participating in the ongoing war in Syria.

Turkish money has turned the organization’s leaders into mere lackeys and mercenaries of the Turkish president, Shalaby said.