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SADAT International Defense Consultancy

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SADAT Inc. International Defense Consultancy is a private Turkish security contractor headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the country's first domestic military consultancy firm, founded in 2012 by former Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) brigadier general, Adnan Tanriverdi.[1] The company operates within the Middle East and provides services such as military and interior training, defense consultancy, and ordnance procurement. SADAT's mission and purpose remains shrouded in controversy, facing allegations from anti-Justice and Development Party (AKP) sources. These allegations range from supporting Islamist terrorism to establishing a private army loyal to President Tayyip Recep Erdogan.

Company Profile

Adnan Tanriverdi, along with 23 TSK officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs), created SADAT Inc. on February 28th, 2012. The organization maintained a Board of Directors including Adnan and four other members. His son, Mehli Tanriverdi, is the current Chairman of the Board. The company employees between 50 to 200 former TSK officers from various branches and specializations. Its list of services include:

  • Consultancy
  • Training
    • Conventional Military Training
    • Unconventional Military Training
    • Special Forces Training
  • Ordnance

The company's stated mission is "establishing the connection among the Islamic countries in the sense of defense and military industries, in order to assist the Islamic world to take the rank its deserves among super world powers as a self-sufficient military power, by submitting them the services regarding the organization of armed forces, defense consultancy, military training, and ordnance." [2]

SADAT Inc. has a sister organization, ASSAM, with a more political focus that was also established by Adnan Tanriverdi. It runs a strategic studies center and hosts annual conventions.

Controversies

Connection to President Erdogan and AKP

Following the attempted coup of July 15th, 2016, President Erdogan appointed Adnan Tanriverdi to his cabinet as chief military counselor.[3] [4] The close relationship between Tanriverdi and Erdogan, who were relieved from political and military offices in the late 1990s for their Islamic convictions, has sparked allegations of corrupt behavior.[5] These accusations including the belief that SADAT represents and exists as Erdogan's "private militia."

Involvement in coup attempt

According to American Enterprise Institute's (AEI) Michael Rubin, SADAT personnel were active and participated in anti-coup efforts on the night of July 15th, 2016. Rubin and others reference social media posts and videos captured by Turkish citizens, which supposedly show SADAT personnel attacking putschists on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey.[6] [7]

Training Islamist jihadists

Some Western and Arabic media outlets claim SADAT is connected to nefarious terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS.[8] [9]These sources state that SADAT is actively training Islamist elements who adhere to a Salafist ideology in Syria and other locations in the Middle East.[10] These locations include Somalia and Qatar, where Turkey has established military training centers and formed cooperative partnerships with the host countries' governments.[11] Additionally, a QatariLeaks video identifies the Sudanese port city of Suakin as another potential site of SADAT involvement.[12]

Anti-Rubin and Spyer

Michael Rubin of AEI and Dr. Jonathan Spyer, who is a research fellow for the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and a writer for the Jersusalem Post, are two main contributors on the topic of SADAT. Their outspoken allegations against the company has made them a target for pro-AKP and SADAT supporters via internet avenues and social media. Dr. Jonathan Spyer and other Israeli sources express concern over the company's strong pro-Palestinian sediments, categorized in their information manuals.[13] As a result, Rubin and Spyer's writings, which illustrate a pro-Western stance, are attacked for being at odds with SADAT's values and goals.

References

  1. ^ Cubukcu, Saut. "The Rise of Paramilitary Groups in Turkey". ResearchGate.
  2. ^ Karmon, Ely; Barak, Michael. "Erdogan's Turkey and the Palestinian Issue". Terrorism Analysts.
  3. ^ Rubin, Michael. "Has SADAT become Erdogan's Revolutionary Guards?". American Enterprise Institute.
  4. ^ "Turkey's Erdoğan selects controversial security contractor as his new advisor". Ahval News.
  5. ^ Spyer, Dr. Jonathan. "Erdogan's Shadow Army: The Influence of "Sadat," Turkey's Private Defense Group". The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
  6. ^ Jacinto, Leela. "Turkey's Post-Coup Purge and Erdogan's Private Army". Foreign Policy.
  7. ^ "July 15 Erdogan's Coup" (PDF). Stockholm Center for Freedom.
  8. ^ "Hamas Operations in Turkey". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  9. ^ Rubin, Michael. "Has SADAT become Erdogan's Revolutionary Guards?". American Enterprise Institute.
  10. ^ Spyer, Dr. Jonathan. "Erdogan's Shadow Army: The Influence of "Sadat," Turkey's Private Defense Group". Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
  11. ^ Rubin, Michael. "US missteps in Somalia benefit our enemies". American Enterprise Institute.
  12. ^ "Sadat Inc.: The Turkish revolutionary guard in Qatar". YouTube. QatariLeaks.
  13. ^ "Turkish Newspaper Close To President Erdogan Calls To Form Joint Islamic Army To Fight Israel". The Middle East Media Research Institute.


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