Documenting ISIL's Antiquities Trafficking: Corresponding Visuals to the Remarks

Remarks
Andrew Keller
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, NY
September 29, 2015


This page contains images and text-based versions of the visuals presented by Deputy Assistant Secretary Andrew Keller during his September 29, 2015 remarks on "Documenting ISIL’s Antiquities Trafficking." The remarks can be viewed in their entirety here.

 

To navigate to a particular image use the links below:

Organizational structure of ISIL's Antiquities Division

Full-size image (Arabic):
Date: 09/29/2015 Description: The organizational structure of ISIL's Antiquities Division. © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Full-size image (English translation):
Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translation of organizational structure of ISIL's Antiquities Division © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text-based version (English translation):

Diwan
   
Antiquities
   
Western governorates Eastern governorates 
     
         
Marketing Excavation Exploration and identification
of (new) sites
Exploration and identification
of known sites
Administration

 

Letter identifying ISIL Antiquities Division leadership in the Western Governorates

Full-size image (Arabic):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Letter identifying ISIL Antiquities Division leadership in the Western Governorates © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full-size image (English translation):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Letter identifying ISIL Antiquities Division leadership in the Western Governorates. View full text on the right. © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text-based version (English translation):

[Left side]

There is no God by Allah.
Date: 21 NOV 2014

[Right side]

The Islamic State

Diwan of Natural Resources

Antiquities Division
Number: 008

To Brother [redacted] keep him.

Greetings,

We would like to remind you that the person in charge of the Antiquities Division in the Al Sham Wilayahs [ISIL Governorates in the Levant] shall be Abu-Sayyaf al-‘Iraqi.  The reason being is that he is very knowledgeable in this field, and that [redacted] is a simpleton who can’t manage the division.  Moreover, people in the Levant who work in the field of antiquities are weak of faith and Abu-Sayyaf has experience in dealing with them.

God bless you.

21 NOV 2014

Your loving brother [a name not discernible in the signature]

 

Image of an antiquity found in Abu-Sayyaf’s electronic media

Front View:

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquity found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media (Front View) © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Side View:

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquity found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media (Side View) © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional antiquities found in Abu-Sayyaf’s electronic media

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquity found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquities found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquities found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquity found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain
 
Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquities found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Antiquities found in Abu-Sayyaf's electronic media © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artifacts found in Abu-Sayyaf’s physical possession

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Artifacts found in Abu-Sayyaf's physical possession - State Dept Image

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Artifacts found in Abu-Sayyaf's physical possession - State Dept Image

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Artifacts found in Abu-Sayyaf's physical possession - State Dept Image

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Artifacts found in Abu-Sayyaf's physical possession - State Dept Image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Letter providing authorization for certain individuals to excavate and supervise the excavation of artifacts in ISIL-controlled territory

Full-size image (Arabic):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated letter providing authorization for certain individuals to excavate and supervise the excavation of artifacts in ISIL-controlled territory © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Full-size image (English translation):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated letter providing authorization for certain individuals to excavate and supervise the excavation of artifacts in ISIL-controlled territory © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text-based version (English translation):

Islamic State
Diwan of Natural Resources
Antiquities Division
Number 001
Dated: 16 OCT 2014

To the brothers in the Islamic State,
Allow the brother [redacted] to excavate and supervise the Antiquities.
1 – The individual in charge of ‘Ayyash area is  [redacted]
2 – The two individuals in charge of the ‘Ayyash area are [redacted]
3 – The person in charge of Handan area is [redacted]

May God reward you
This letter is valid for 16 months from the issue date.
Your brother Abu-Sayyaf al-‘Iraqi

[TC: stamp and signature]


Receipts for payment of “war booty” tax

Full-size versions (Arabic):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




Full-size versions (English translation):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain


 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated receipt for payment of ''war booty'' tax © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 


 



Text-based versions (English translation):

The Islamic State
Diwan of Natural Resources
Antiquities Division

In the name of Allah, the merciful, the compassionate

Collection receipt

Date:
06 December 2014

Number 101

I, the below signed:

Abu-Sayyaf al-'Iraqi

Received from the brother: [Redacted]
The amount: 2,960,000 SYP Written: Two million hundred nine hundred sixty thousand SYP exactly
Notes: 1/5th the value of the Antiquities
Sold in Al Khayr governorate

Recipient signature:

[Signature]

 

Submitter signature:

[Signature]

[Seal of the Diwan of Natural Resources, head of Antiquities]

 

The Islamic State
Diwan of Natural Resources
Antiquities Division

In the name of Allah, the merciful, the compassionate

Collection receipt

Date:
11 December 2014

Number 102

I, the below signed:

Abu-Sayyaf al-'Iraqi

Received from the brother: [Redacted]
The amount: 2,152,000 SYP Written: Two million hundred fifty-two thousand SYP exactly
Notes: 1/5th the value of the Antiquities
Sold in Al Khayr governorate

Recipient signature:

[Signature]

 

Submitter signature:

[Signature]

[Seal of the Diwan of Natural Resources, head of Antiquities]


The Islamic State
Diwan of Natural Resources
Antiquities Division

In the name of Allah, the merciful, the compassionate

Collection receipt

Date:
15 December 2014

Number 103

I, the below signed:

Abu-Sayyaf al-'Iraqi

Received from the brother: [Redacted]
The amount: 191,560 SYP Written: One hundred ninety-one thousand
five hundred sixty SYP exactly
Notes: 1/5th the value of the Antiquities
Sold in Al Khayr governorate


Recipient signature:

[Signature]

[Seal of the Diwan of Natural Resources,
head of the workshop]

Submitter signature:

[Signature]

[Seal of the Diwan of Natural Resources, head of Antiquities]

 


Memo banning unauthorized looting

Full-size image (Arabic):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Memo banning unauthorized looting © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full-size image (English translation):

Date: 09/29/2015 Description: Translated memo banning unauthorized looting © Captured from Senior ISIL official Abu Sayyaf/public domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Text-based version (English translation):

[Beginning of Translation] 

The name of God the most compassionate and most merciful

The Islamic State
The General Committee 

Date: 18/11/1435
13 SEP 2014

Thanks be to the Almighty Allah, prayer and peace upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his Household and Companions and those who followed him afterwards:

Administrative Order Number /5/

It is prohibited for any brother from the Islamic State to excavate antiquities or give the permit to anyone from the public without receiving a stamped permit issued from the Diwan of Natural Resources and Minerals Antiquities Division.

Any previous assignment or permit to any one is considered null whoever the issuing source might be, holder of such a permit must report to the Diwan of Natural Resources – Antiquities Division to obtain a substitute.

Anyone proven to be in violation of this order, since its issuing date, is considered disobedient to this order and is subject to a penalty in accordance to Sharia courts.

May Allah reward you.

Stamp of the Islamic State
The General Governing Committee

[End of Translation]