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TURKISH SOLDIERS ADMIT THEY KNEW OF PLOT TO KILL ETHNIC ARMENIAN: REPORT
Agence France Presse
March 20, 2008 Thursday
Two Turkish soldiers admitted in court Thursday they knew of a plot
to kill ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink months before the murder
happened, Anatolia news agency reported.
The two are the first members of the security forces to stand trial
in the Black Sea city of Trabzon, where the murder was planned,
amid widespread allegations that some officials condoned the killing.
The investigation is seen as a test for Ankara's resolve to eliminate
the "deep state" -- a term used to describe security forces acting
outside the law to preserve what they consider Turkey's best interests.
The 52-year-old Dink, whom Turkish nationalists hated for calling
the World War I massacres of Armenians genocide, was shot dead
on January 19, 2007, outside the offices of his Agos newspaper in
central Istanbul.
One of the defendants told the judge Thursday he was informed of the
plot in August 2006 by a relative of alleged mastermind Yasin Hayal,
Anatolia reported.
He said he duely passed the tip-off to his superiors at the local
paramilitary force policing rural areas, but no action was taken.
"We did not do anything afterwards because we were not given any
instructions or orders," said the defendant, identified only as O.S.
He charged his superiors fabricated documents after the murder to
create the impression they had no prior knowledge of the plot, adding
that he came under "psychological" pressure to collude and lie to
government inspectors who probed the conduct of the security froces.
The other defendant, identified as V.S., agreed with the statement
of his colleague.
The two soldiers risk between six months and two years in jail for
"abuse of power."
The judge decided to ask prosecutors to launch an investigation into
the officials who were implicated at Thursday's hearing.
Hayal's uncle has already testified that he informed the two defendants
of his nephew's plans to kill Dink, but the pair sought to cover up
the issue.
The self-confessed hitman, 17-year-old Ogun Samast, went on trial in
Istanbul last year, along with Hayal and 17 suspected associates.
Lawyers for Dink's family say the police also withheld and destroyed
evidence to cover up the murder, including footage from a bank security
camera near where Dink was killed.
In September, two policemen went on trial in the northern city of
Samsun for their role in a scandal that saw security forces pose for
"souvenir" pictures with the gunman after he was captured there a
day after the murder.
Dink had won many hearts in Turkey with his efforts for
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and more than 100,000 people marched
at his funeral.
Agence France Presse
March 20, 2008 Thursday
Two Turkish soldiers admitted in court Thursday they knew of a plot
to kill ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink months before the murder
happened, Anatolia news agency reported.
The two are the first members of the security forces to stand trial
in the Black Sea city of Trabzon, where the murder was planned,
amid widespread allegations that some officials condoned the killing.
The investigation is seen as a test for Ankara's resolve to eliminate
the "deep state" -- a term used to describe security forces acting
outside the law to preserve what they consider Turkey's best interests.
The 52-year-old Dink, whom Turkish nationalists hated for calling
the World War I massacres of Armenians genocide, was shot dead
on January 19, 2007, outside the offices of his Agos newspaper in
central Istanbul.
One of the defendants told the judge Thursday he was informed of the
plot in August 2006 by a relative of alleged mastermind Yasin Hayal,
Anatolia reported.
He said he duely passed the tip-off to his superiors at the local
paramilitary force policing rural areas, but no action was taken.
"We did not do anything afterwards because we were not given any
instructions or orders," said the defendant, identified only as O.S.
He charged his superiors fabricated documents after the murder to
create the impression they had no prior knowledge of the plot, adding
that he came under "psychological" pressure to collude and lie to
government inspectors who probed the conduct of the security froces.
The other defendant, identified as V.S., agreed with the statement
of his colleague.
The two soldiers risk between six months and two years in jail for
"abuse of power."
The judge decided to ask prosecutors to launch an investigation into
the officials who were implicated at Thursday's hearing.
Hayal's uncle has already testified that he informed the two defendants
of his nephew's plans to kill Dink, but the pair sought to cover up
the issue.
The self-confessed hitman, 17-year-old Ogun Samast, went on trial in
Istanbul last year, along with Hayal and 17 suspected associates.
Lawyers for Dink's family say the police also withheld and destroyed
evidence to cover up the murder, including footage from a bank security
camera near where Dink was killed.
In September, two policemen went on trial in the northern city of
Samsun for their role in a scandal that saw security forces pose for
"souvenir" pictures with the gunman after he was captured there a
day after the murder.
Dink had won many hearts in Turkey with his efforts for
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and more than 100,000 people marched
at his funeral.