G.Trans @hannibalum

Dear friends,

This afternoon I returned from the "Islamic state". The security guarantees required I had negotiated in months of Skype talks with the leadership of the 'Caliphate'. Apparently I was the first western journalist in the world who could visit the "Islamic state".

 IS was aware that I had expressed myself several times very critical of the "Islamic state". Here, on Facebook and in the German press. I have the dangers of this journey therefore never be underestimated. The conversations and experiences in the Iraqi and Syrian part of the "Islamic States" were dramatic. The security situation also. In more in the coming days.

When I ran last night with my luggage near a Turkish gun turret on foot through a smugglers' trail in Turkey, a perceived burden fell from 1,000 tons from my shoulders. I am very happy that I'm healing in Germany again. My family also. There have been many tears. I have not made this difficult journey, because Pope Francis had recently demanded that one must speak with  IS. But because I speak always with all sides for over 50 years. In Syria, I spoke - heavily criticized by some armchair strategists - with President Assad, but also with Al Qaeda and the FSA. In Afghanistan several times with President Karzai and with leaders of the Taliban. And during the Iraq war with the Shiite government of Iraq and the Sunni resistance. The disasters in the United States in Afghanistan, have fallen into Iraq, Libya and other countries are also arose because the US does not want to talk with their opponents and they did not know each often. Ignorance may not be the sad trademarks of Western Middle East policy, however. Who wants to defeat his enemies, they should know.

The IS is more powerful and dangerous than many Western politicians realize. In the coming days I will tell you more details of my ten-day search in the "Islamic state". But now I'm only once tired. Your JT