Turkish Daily News , Turkey
Jan 24 2007
Police arrests one more ‘brother’
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News
Investigating a third layer of involvement in the Hrant Dink murder,
a new "brother," Elazig-born Erhan T. was arrested in Trabzon two days
ago and brought to Istanbul yesterday, daily Hurriyet reported. By
snatching Erhan T. the police reached the "third circle" of the
investigation, it was reported. Together with suspected murderer
Ogun Samast and Yasin Hayal – the "brother" who had given the gun to
Samast according to his police confession – Erhan T. is thought to
be the third person of the link.
Hayal confessed to the police that he charged Samast to kill Dink
"to save the honor of Turkey." According to reports, Hayal said he
was influenced by Erhan T. who told him "to act on Dink" as soon as
possible. This confession led the police to Erhan T., a university
student in Trabzon.
Police sources said that Erhan T. is also suspected to be behind
the murder of Italian Priest Santoro in Trabzon in 2004. Police are
investigating the similarities between the Dink case and the Santoro
murder, they said.
On the other hand, security forces are under criticism for negligence
over Hayal, who bombed McDonalds in Trabzon in 2004.
Hayal, served 11 months in prison for the bombing that injured six
people. Hayal declared, "I will be in prison for three years, then I
will bomb the Russian Embassy and HSBC." His sentence was not even
three years because none of the wounded pressed charges. He became
a hero amongst Trabzon youth as he reportedly intended to be.
Security officials, however, blamed changes in the Turkish Penal Code
(TCK) made in to harmonize with European Union laws. Trabzon Police
Chief Reşat Altintay emphasized that the changes make it difficult
to follow and investigate people.
As the investigation continues, another claim is that Samast was
only bait. According to Sabah, a top ranking official said: "The
organization had the murderer seen on purpose. It wants to give the
impression that the case is solved."
Colleagues of Dink also claimed after the murder that Dink was
receiving serious warnings of threats from various circles including
a deputy governor of Istanbul and a former military official and that
he had applied to the Şişli Prosecutor about those threats.
Dink’s lawyer Erdal Dogan claimed that retired Brig. Gen. Veli Kucuk
was among the names that had threatened the Armenian journalist. In
a press conference in front of the Agos newspaper on Saturday, Dogan
said: "Dink had been receiving threats for two-and-a-half years. The
name that worried him most was Veli Kucuk.
But this is not an an aspersion (misleading charge meant to harm
his reputation)."
Kucuk denied the accusations and said, "I will file a complaint
to the Istanbul Bar Association against Dogan because of his false
declaration." Kucuk was known widely as one of the suspects of the
Susurluk case, which involved a car accident that drew attention to
a secret state organization. Kucuk refused to speak in the Susurluk
trial and was acquitted.