AT LARGE
- Full name: Arben Imishti
- Pseudonym: N/a
- Alternatives: N/a
- Location: Belgium, Syria, Iraq
- Affiliation: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh], fmr Dibrani, Imishti and Matoshi Network [DIMN]
Arben Imishti (°ca 1980) is an ethnic Kosovar Albanian jihadi from the Belgian town of Schoten. Almost no information is available on his activities in Belgium. In September 2014, Imishti traveled to Syria and joined the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh; Dawlat al-Islamiya fi-Iraq wal ash-Sham].1 Later that year, he was involved in the mass execution of captured Syrian soldiers. In a propaganda movie distributed by the DaIISh, Imishti is shown beheading one of the captives.2 Infamous executioner Mohammed Emwazi was also seen in the film.
In Syria, Imishti collected the funds raised for the DaIISh by the Belgian-based Dibrani, Imishti and Matoshi Network [DIMN].3 On Dec. 06, 2016, police rolled up the network during a series of raids throughout Belgium and arrested most of its members.4 On Feb. 26, 2018, Imishti’s mother and key DIMN associates were sentenced to prison for their financial support to the DaIISh.5 In March 2018, a court in Mechelen sentenced him in absentia to a thirty-year prison term for his role in the killing of the Syrian soldier.6 Family members have since declared that Imishti has died in combat. Belgian authorities assume that he is still alive.7
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