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SUSPECT'S FATHER REVEALS NEW INFO ON DINK MURDER
Vercihan Ziflioglu
Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 17 2011
Turkey
The father of one of the suspected conspirators in journalist Hrant
Dink' murder, Bahattin Hayal says his son Yasin Hayal was used as
a pawn in the murder case. "The true criminals must be revealed,"
Hayal says.
Suspected instigator Yasin Hayal's father, Bahattin Hayal says his
son was used by police informant Erhan Tuncel and others in planning
the murder of journalist Hrant Dink. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GUREL
The father of one of the suspected conspirators in the murder of
journalist Hrant Dink has released new information on his son's
connections with police informants and said the real people behind
the assassination must be revealed.
"We learned that my son had gone off to Azerbaijan before the murder,
even though he had no passport or money," suspected instigator Yasin
Hayal's father, Bahattin Hayal, told the Hurriyet Daily News on Nov.
16.
The case will never be illuminated unless police informant Erhan
Tuncel's connections are revealed in full first, he said, adding that
his son was used as a pawn.
"They stayed at a luxury hotel in Akcaabat [a district in the Black
Sea province of Trabzon]. My son was introduced to two persons in the
hotel. Erhan Tuncel had told [him] that one of these was the Chechen
chief of staff," Bahattin Hayal said, adding that his son's trip to
the Akcaabat with Tuncel constituted yet another point that needed
to be further investigated.
"I am deeply saddened by this murder. I have no courage to venture
near Rakel Dink [Hrant Dink's widow]. This case will not come to light
unless Erhan Tuncel's connections are found. The true criminals must
be revealed," he added.
Bahattin Hayal said he attempted to meet with the Dink family's lawyers
several times, and added that they had told him to convince his son to
reveal the truth. However, one of Dink family's lawyers, Bahri Belen,
said he had not been previously aware of the father's statements.
"I do not know how serious Tuncel's statements are. I do not know
whether he was specifically selected to issue such statements either.
He gave us no information regarding Azerbaijan or Akcaabat," Belen
told the Daily News.
"I am not bluffing; my son was used. He is being tried for life
imprisonment, while Erhan Tuncel may possibly be released. I damn
the day they met," Bahattin Hayal said, adding that he had earlier
testified to the prosecutor's office but later changed his testimony
due to the threats he received.
According to the father's testimony, Yahya Ozturk, who was the chief
of police in Trabzon at the time of the incident, told Hayal that his
son was serving the country and that matters would be arranged so that
he would not have to serve a long sentence for any role in the murder.
Bahattin Hayal also said a high-ranking intelligence official from
the southeastern province of Mardin contacted him in 2007 to send a
message to him, and that he relayed this information to the prosecutor
on Nov. 14.
"'I pay my respects to you. You have raised a patriotic son,' was the
message he sent, but I find the praise of this murder disturbing,"
Bahattin Hayal added.
Dink, a journalist of Armenian origin, was the chief editor for
weekly Agos, a paper published in both Turkish and Armenian. He was
shot in front of his office on Jan. 19, 2007; triggerman Ogun Samast
was sentenced to 22 years in prison in July for the murder.
Vercihan Ziflioglu
Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 17 2011
Turkey
The father of one of the suspected conspirators in journalist Hrant
Dink' murder, Bahattin Hayal says his son Yasin Hayal was used as
a pawn in the murder case. "The true criminals must be revealed,"
Hayal says.
Suspected instigator Yasin Hayal's father, Bahattin Hayal says his
son was used by police informant Erhan Tuncel and others in planning
the murder of journalist Hrant Dink. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GUREL
The father of one of the suspected conspirators in the murder of
journalist Hrant Dink has released new information on his son's
connections with police informants and said the real people behind
the assassination must be revealed.
"We learned that my son had gone off to Azerbaijan before the murder,
even though he had no passport or money," suspected instigator Yasin
Hayal's father, Bahattin Hayal, told the Hurriyet Daily News on Nov.
16.
The case will never be illuminated unless police informant Erhan
Tuncel's connections are revealed in full first, he said, adding that
his son was used as a pawn.
"They stayed at a luxury hotel in Akcaabat [a district in the Black
Sea province of Trabzon]. My son was introduced to two persons in the
hotel. Erhan Tuncel had told [him] that one of these was the Chechen
chief of staff," Bahattin Hayal said, adding that his son's trip to
the Akcaabat with Tuncel constituted yet another point that needed
to be further investigated.
"I am deeply saddened by this murder. I have no courage to venture
near Rakel Dink [Hrant Dink's widow]. This case will not come to light
unless Erhan Tuncel's connections are found. The true criminals must
be revealed," he added.
Bahattin Hayal said he attempted to meet with the Dink family's lawyers
several times, and added that they had told him to convince his son to
reveal the truth. However, one of Dink family's lawyers, Bahri Belen,
said he had not been previously aware of the father's statements.
"I do not know how serious Tuncel's statements are. I do not know
whether he was specifically selected to issue such statements either.
He gave us no information regarding Azerbaijan or Akcaabat," Belen
told the Daily News.
"I am not bluffing; my son was used. He is being tried for life
imprisonment, while Erhan Tuncel may possibly be released. I damn
the day they met," Bahattin Hayal said, adding that he had earlier
testified to the prosecutor's office but later changed his testimony
due to the threats he received.
According to the father's testimony, Yahya Ozturk, who was the chief
of police in Trabzon at the time of the incident, told Hayal that his
son was serving the country and that matters would be arranged so that
he would not have to serve a long sentence for any role in the murder.
Bahattin Hayal also said a high-ranking intelligence official from
the southeastern province of Mardin contacted him in 2007 to send a
message to him, and that he relayed this information to the prosecutor
on Nov. 14.
"'I pay my respects to you. You have raised a patriotic son,' was the
message he sent, but I find the praise of this murder disturbing,"
Bahattin Hayal added.
Dink, a journalist of Armenian origin, was the chief editor for
weekly Agos, a paper published in both Turkish and Armenian. He was
shot in front of his office on Jan. 19, 2007; triggerman Ogun Samast
was sentenced to 22 years in prison in July for the murder.