raqqa/dubai syrian president bashar al-assad accuse west turn blind eye islamic state smuggle member parliament quietly business group farmers administrators militants former stronghold say arrangement help syrian government fee areas still control islamic state take northeastern wheat-growing region six-year-old civil war say traders work businessman lawmaker hossam al-katerji buy wheat farmers islamic state areas transport damascus allow group take cut five farmers two administrators raqqa province tell reuters katerji office manager mohammed kassab confirm katerji group provide syrian government territories wheat northeast syria islamic state territory deny contact islamic state clear much assad know wheat trade cooperation wheat figure syria establishment back shi ite power iran hardline sunni islamic state would mark new ironic twist war deepen regional sunni-shi ite divisions reuters contact katerji office six time request comment give access office manager kassab ask company manage buy transport wheat without contact islamic state say easy situation difficult ask detail say long explanation return call message damascus u.s. eu sanction conflict allege oil trade islamic state strongly deny business link hardline islamist militants argue unite state responsible rise power self-declared caliphate set across large part syria iraq 2014 collapse western-backed force drive iraqi stronghold mosul surround raqqa confine small area russian iranian-backed syrian force attack elsewhere deir al zor syria eastern border kassab say speak continue struggle upper hand world power five farmers raqqa describe sell wheat katerji traders islamic state rule interview build house raqqa civil council form take city retake operation organize say mahmoud al-hadi own agricultural land near raqqa like farmers come council cement offices seek help would sell small traders send wheat big traders send katerji regime two three traders say farmers say pay islamic state 10 percent tax zakat sell season supply katerji traders multi-layered scheme local officials say katerji traders buy wheat raqqa deir al-zor give islamic state 20 percent truck carry 100 sack islamic state would keep 20 give rest trucker say awas ali deputy tabqa joint leadership council similar post-islamic state local body ally kurdish-led force attack raqqa ali say learn detail arrangement katerji speak islamic state prisoners others work group tax collection road toll systems katerji truck well know logo clear harass ali say add katerji people active last buy season last may august farmers also say truck identifiable katerji s. truck drivers even allow smoke cigarettes pass checkpoints something islamic state enforcers punish whippings elsewhere ali several source say would sell entire season supply katerji traders say farmer ali shanaan know traders checkpoints stop truck daesh would take cut let pass say use arabic acronym islamic state wheat transport via new bridge euphrates river road lead raqqa farmers local officials say control bridge unclear militants raqqa come close defeat raqqa-based lawyer abdullah al-aryan say consultant katerji traders say katerji truck bring goods islamic state territory well wheat food use come areas control government medicine food say islamic state rule involve shoot behead perceive opponents public square impose extreme version sharia islamic law provide basic goods bread set ministries taxation several farmers say saw islamic state document stamp checkpoints allow wheat truck pass belong department impose tax islamic state may export wheat local officials farmers say militants well rebel group sell content grain silos northeast traders across turkish border assad accuse enemies include turkey western countries support group something deny interview march chinese news agency publish syrian state news agency sana assad say side unite state least obama administration deal daesh overlook smuggle syrian oil turkey way daesh able procure money order recruit terrorists world ask whether syrian company deal islamic state secure wheat internal trade consumer protection minister abdullah al-gharbi say august speak reuters damascus trade fair add exist import wheat russian company addition local crop talk completely unacceptable wheat buy season end august lose control wheat-growing areas either government force syrian kurdish-led syrian defense force assad traditionally rely close-knit set businessmen notably rami makhlouf maternal cousin help keep syria economy afloat makhlouf subject international sanction rely various associate business katerji household name around raqqa elsewhere farmer hadi liken late greek ship tycoon aristotle onassis katerji onassis syria say katerji facebook profile page show shake hand assad regularly post picture president describe beacon light pan-arabism patriotism loyalty member parliament aleppo key battleground recover government late last year part new business class rise prominence war unite state eu impose range measure target government many arm group operate syria foodstuffs restrict u.s. european sanction bank asset freeze however make difficult trade house business assad government make local supply increasingly vital flat bread subsidize staple syrians suffer conflict estimate kill several hundred thousand people force millions flee home government need around 1.5 million tonnes annually fee areas control keep syrians assad side syria bread-basket provinces hasaka raqqa deir al-zor account nearly 70 percent total wheat production government look set retake much deir al-zor province soon hasaka mostly control u.s.-backed syrian kurdish ypg militia also likely hold sway raqqa along arab ally group ali tabqa council predict would stop wheat trade people like katerji lot money power activities never completely freeze say go disappear one area go another businessman strike deal islamic state help assad fee syrians