Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 29 2011
Initial probe shows professionals behind bullets sent to Arslan
29 January 2011, Saturday / TODAY’S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
Professional plotters are though to be behind the package containing
the bullets sent to journalist Adem Yavuz Arslan.
The initial findings of an ongoing investigation into bullets sent to
journalist Adem Yavuz Arslan suggest that professional plotters are
behind the incident as the package containing the bullets does not
feature any fingerprints and the sender used a fake name when sending
the package.
Arslan, who is the author of a newly released book that seeks to shed
light on some of the shady aspects of the murder of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink, received a package containing four Kalashnikov
bullets and a white beret, similar to the one that Dink’s assassin was
wearing on the day of the murder. The journalist also said he has been
receiving threatening phone calls from unidentified individuals since
his book first hit the shelves.
Arslan believes he is being threatened over the content of his book.
He is both a columnist and the Ankara representative for the Bugün
daily.
An investigation is under way into the package. According to the
initial findings of the investigation, the package was sent to the
journalist from the Yerköy district of central Yozgat. However, the
cargo bureau from where the package was sent does not have security
cameras. In addition, the district does not have the Electronic System
Integration Project (MOBESE), an alarm system with integrated security
cameras placed throughout a city’s street to fight crime.
The absence of security cameras and the MOBESE system means that it
will be difficult to identify the sender. Police are now examining the
images of businesses close to the cargo bureau in hopes of finding out
who the sender is. Police have also found that the sender used a fake
name and phone number when sending the package. The package features
Hamide Gül �akır as the sender, but an examination showed that there
is no resident in the district with such a name.
Arslan and his family are now under police protection. The
journalist’s book, `Bi Ermeni Var: Dink Operasyonunun Å?ifreleri’
(There’s this Armenian: The Codes of the Dink Operation), puts forward
new evidence indicating that the murder of Dink had been masterminded
from the start by illicit forces. Dink was shot dead by a nationalist
teenager in broad daylight in front of his office in 2007. Dink’s
assassin was captured, but the real plotters of the murder have yet to
be apprehended. Arslan’s book details many connections between members
of Ergenekon — a clandestine gang that is believed to be nested
within the state hierarchy. Dozens of suspected Ergenekon members are
currently on trial for attempting to overthrow the government by
force. Ergenekon is accused of being behind many crimes and plots that
sought to create chaos in Turkey, which they hoped would trigger a
military takeover.
Threats draw condemnation
The bullets and threatening phone calls to Arslan have drawn huge
condemnation, with many defining the threats as a major blow to the
freedom of the press. The Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) issued
a statement and called on authorities to find the plotters of the
threats. The association also defined the threats as a `source of
shame’ in the name of freedom of the press.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group deputy
chairman Suat Kılıç said attempts to silence a journalist through
threats are unacceptable. `Security forces should investigate until
the very end and find the parties behind the threats,’ he noted.
According to AK Party deputy from Bursa Mehmet Ocaktan, who chaired
the parliamentary commission that investigated the Hrant Dink murder,
those who do not want light to be shed light on the Dink murder are
targeting Arslan due to his efforts to expose the shady sides of the
killing. The Star daily’s Ankara representative Å?amil Tayyar noted
that Arslan disturbed some circles with his book and is therefore
being targeted with threats. Currently there are 20 suspects in the
Dink murder case, eight of whom are under arrest. Following Dink’s
murder, numerous reports suggested that the police had been tipped off
about the planned assassination more than once before his murder but
had failed to prevent it. Some gendarmes later confirmed that they had
been tipped off about the plot to kill Dink before the murder was
committed. Two gendarmes are currently standing trial for having
ignored warnings about the plot against Dink.
Rober KoptaÅ?, editor-in-chief of the Armenian weekly Agos, called on
people to lend psychological support to Arslan so that attempts to
weaken democracy would be averted. `Here we are witnessing a message
against efforts to shed light on the Dink murder. If we cooperate as
people who want Turkey to be a more democratic country, then we will
overcome obstacles and will not allow our journalist friend to fall
victim to remorseless attacks,’ he stated.
From: A. Papazian