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NEW POISONING EVIDENCE SPURS CALL FOR EXPANDED PROBE INTO OZAL'S DEATH
Today's Zaman
Nov 25 2012
Turkey
25 November 2012 / CAĞLAR AVCI / GOKSEL GENC, İSTANBUL Calls have been
raised by various circles that the scope of an ongoing investigation
should be expanded into the 1993 death of former President Turgut
Ozal in light of evidence that four different poisonous substances
were detected in the former president's remains.
According to sources from the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK), who
spoke to Today's Zaman over the weekend on the condition of anonymity,
Ozal was mostly likely poisoned with four separate substances.
An investigation into the former president's suspicious death began
earlier this year after a number of witnesses spoke of unusual
circumstances on the day of Ozal's death, who was reported to have
suffered a heart attack. His remains were exhumed in October for
toxicological testing.
Political figures who served during Ozal's terms as either prime
minister or president told Today's Zaman that the investigation into
his suspicious death should continue in a more detailed manner. Former
Education Minister Vehbi Dincerler said all staff at Ozal's residence,
including guards and servants, and his family members should be
questioned in connection to the former president's death. "In addition,
a failed assassination attempt against Ozal [in 1988] should also be
probed, and the reality behind the attempt should be exposed.
The State Audit Institution [DDK] should spur action to investigate
the assassination attempt," Dincerler stated.
ATK sources said that among poisonous substances found in Ozal's
remains were DDT (dikloro difenol trikloroethan), which is used in
killing insects and was forbidden in Turkey in 1980, and DDE, which
causes heavy damage to the liver after being absorbed by the body.
Experts noted that the poison, which is found in nature and the
human body naturally, was present in Ozal's body at 10 times
the normal level. Experts also detected the presence of cadmium,
a chemical element, in his body. Additionally, experts also found
radioactive elements in the remains of the former president. Americium,
a transuranic radioactive chemical element, and polonium were detected
in Ozal's remains.
According to the experts, the former president's body was weakened
with americium and polonium in the long run, and with the use of DDT
his death was accelerated. The DDT might have entered Ozal's body
through food or drink, experts suggested. They are now investigating
what kind of food the former president consumed in the meals he ate
during his last days.
The ATK has yet to finalize the report about its findings on Ozal's
remains by December and hand it over to the Ankara Chief Public
Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating the former president's
death.
Former Minister Hasan Celal Guzel said there is much to suspect about
Ozal's death. "The [ATK] findings are so saddening. They show that the
former president was martyred. He was one of the leading politicians
of his time, and he was killed treacherously. The people who were
behind the murder should immediately be exposed. Had an investigation
been launched then, Ozal's killers would have been found," he noted.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's office is also investigating a
number of unusual circumstances that came to light following Ozal's
alleged heart attack. Certain facts -- including that on the day of
his death his in-house doctor and nurse were both out, the staff were
not able to start the ambulance due to a mechanical problem, there
was a lack of first aid equipment at the presidential residence and
other similarly unusual issues -- have led to suspicions surrounding
the death of the former president.
Additionally, the office has focused on inconsistencies between the
statements made by Ozal's doctor and his family members regarding the
initial failure to perform an autopsy. Ozal's doctor, Cengiz Aslan,
claimed that the family of the former president did not request an
autopsy, but the Ozal family denies this claim.
In early November, a Turkish daily cited an unpublished autopsy report
by the ATK and claimed that Ozal was poisoned by "strychnine creatine,"
a powerful poison that leads to respiratory arrest in 15-20 minutes
and could also cause a heart attack.
'I cannot understand how a president could be poisoned' It is hard
to understand how a president, with the protection of many guards,
could have been poisoned, according to Ozal's close circle.
Sait Yazıcıoğlu, a former minister, said presidents are offered
special food and the meals specially prepared for him are closely
monitored by his guards. "It is really hard to figure out how the
poisonous substances were added gradually to his meals," he said,
and added that Ozal was killed at very critical times for Turkey.
Ozal, known for his reformist policies that paved the way for a more
democratic and liberal Turkey, was working to solve the long-standing
Kurdish and Armenian questions at the time he was pronounced dead.
There have been rumors for long that he was killed for his efforts
to solve the two questions.
Ekrem Pakdemirli, a former deputy prime minister who is known to be
a close friend of Ozal, stated that Ozal's cook and housekeeper left
work and settled in Canada and Sweden, respectively, around only one
week to 10 days after Ozal's death, raising suspicion that they may
have had a hand in the poisoning incident. "It is not hard to bring
the cook and housekeeper back to Turkey [for interrogation]. I think
the prosecutors [involved in Ozal's death investigation] will think
to interrogate them," Pakdemirli stated.
According to former Health Minister Halil Şıvgın, it is clear to all
observers that Ozal's death was not a natural one, and a parliamentary
commission should be set up to investigate the incident.
Retired military judge Faik Tarımcıoğlu stated that the circumstances
that came to light following Ozal's alleged heart attack, such as that
there was no ambulance around the presidential palace and the bottle
of blood taken as a sample from the former president shortly before
he was pronounced dead was later broken, are ridiculous. Tarımcıoğlu
extended his thanks to President Abdullah Gul for giving an order
to the DDK to investigate the death of Ozal, which eventually led
to the discovery that Ozal may have been poisoned, but expressed his
concerns that the findings may be covered up. "Prosecutors should be
extremely careful," he added.
'Ozal was killed slowly over a month' Retired military judge Arif
Yuksel, who served as Ozal's chief advisor, stated that Ozal was not
killed suddenly, but over the period of a month.
Yuksel said Ozal became ill around two weeks before his scheduled
visit to Azerbaijan, and that he begged the former president to cancel
his visit. "He was frequently perspiring and looked very tired at the
time, not like he had looked before. I talked to Ozal to convince him
to cancel his visit to Azerbaijan, and he agreed. But then Semra Ozal
[Ozal's wife] said he would not cancel the visit by any means. After
that Ozal decided not to cancel the visit and went to Azerbaijan,"
the retired judge noted, calling on prosecutors to investigate what
went on during the Azerbaijan visit.
Yuksel also claimed that Ozal was killed by the same shadowy circles,
hinting at the Ergenekon terrorist organization, that killed Gen.
Eşref Bitlis, who died in a place crash in 1993, while he was
investigating questionable links between the military, the terrorist
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other groups. "When Ozal learned
about the death of Bitlis, he said that another son of the country had
been killed. He never believed that the crash was an accident. Ozal
was killed by the same group that killed Bitlis," Yuksel said.
Today's Zaman
Nov 25 2012
Turkey
25 November 2012 / CAĞLAR AVCI / GOKSEL GENC, İSTANBUL Calls have been
raised by various circles that the scope of an ongoing investigation
should be expanded into the 1993 death of former President Turgut
Ozal in light of evidence that four different poisonous substances
were detected in the former president's remains.
According to sources from the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK), who
spoke to Today's Zaman over the weekend on the condition of anonymity,
Ozal was mostly likely poisoned with four separate substances.
An investigation into the former president's suspicious death began
earlier this year after a number of witnesses spoke of unusual
circumstances on the day of Ozal's death, who was reported to have
suffered a heart attack. His remains were exhumed in October for
toxicological testing.
Political figures who served during Ozal's terms as either prime
minister or president told Today's Zaman that the investigation into
his suspicious death should continue in a more detailed manner. Former
Education Minister Vehbi Dincerler said all staff at Ozal's residence,
including guards and servants, and his family members should be
questioned in connection to the former president's death. "In addition,
a failed assassination attempt against Ozal [in 1988] should also be
probed, and the reality behind the attempt should be exposed.
The State Audit Institution [DDK] should spur action to investigate
the assassination attempt," Dincerler stated.
ATK sources said that among poisonous substances found in Ozal's
remains were DDT (dikloro difenol trikloroethan), which is used in
killing insects and was forbidden in Turkey in 1980, and DDE, which
causes heavy damage to the liver after being absorbed by the body.
Experts noted that the poison, which is found in nature and the
human body naturally, was present in Ozal's body at 10 times
the normal level. Experts also detected the presence of cadmium,
a chemical element, in his body. Additionally, experts also found
radioactive elements in the remains of the former president. Americium,
a transuranic radioactive chemical element, and polonium were detected
in Ozal's remains.
According to the experts, the former president's body was weakened
with americium and polonium in the long run, and with the use of DDT
his death was accelerated. The DDT might have entered Ozal's body
through food or drink, experts suggested. They are now investigating
what kind of food the former president consumed in the meals he ate
during his last days.
The ATK has yet to finalize the report about its findings on Ozal's
remains by December and hand it over to the Ankara Chief Public
Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating the former president's
death.
Former Minister Hasan Celal Guzel said there is much to suspect about
Ozal's death. "The [ATK] findings are so saddening. They show that the
former president was martyred. He was one of the leading politicians
of his time, and he was killed treacherously. The people who were
behind the murder should immediately be exposed. Had an investigation
been launched then, Ozal's killers would have been found," he noted.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's office is also investigating a
number of unusual circumstances that came to light following Ozal's
alleged heart attack. Certain facts -- including that on the day of
his death his in-house doctor and nurse were both out, the staff were
not able to start the ambulance due to a mechanical problem, there
was a lack of first aid equipment at the presidential residence and
other similarly unusual issues -- have led to suspicions surrounding
the death of the former president.
Additionally, the office has focused on inconsistencies between the
statements made by Ozal's doctor and his family members regarding the
initial failure to perform an autopsy. Ozal's doctor, Cengiz Aslan,
claimed that the family of the former president did not request an
autopsy, but the Ozal family denies this claim.
In early November, a Turkish daily cited an unpublished autopsy report
by the ATK and claimed that Ozal was poisoned by "strychnine creatine,"
a powerful poison that leads to respiratory arrest in 15-20 minutes
and could also cause a heart attack.
'I cannot understand how a president could be poisoned' It is hard
to understand how a president, with the protection of many guards,
could have been poisoned, according to Ozal's close circle.
Sait Yazıcıoğlu, a former minister, said presidents are offered
special food and the meals specially prepared for him are closely
monitored by his guards. "It is really hard to figure out how the
poisonous substances were added gradually to his meals," he said,
and added that Ozal was killed at very critical times for Turkey.
Ozal, known for his reformist policies that paved the way for a more
democratic and liberal Turkey, was working to solve the long-standing
Kurdish and Armenian questions at the time he was pronounced dead.
There have been rumors for long that he was killed for his efforts
to solve the two questions.
Ekrem Pakdemirli, a former deputy prime minister who is known to be
a close friend of Ozal, stated that Ozal's cook and housekeeper left
work and settled in Canada and Sweden, respectively, around only one
week to 10 days after Ozal's death, raising suspicion that they may
have had a hand in the poisoning incident. "It is not hard to bring
the cook and housekeeper back to Turkey [for interrogation]. I think
the prosecutors [involved in Ozal's death investigation] will think
to interrogate them," Pakdemirli stated.
According to former Health Minister Halil Şıvgın, it is clear to all
observers that Ozal's death was not a natural one, and a parliamentary
commission should be set up to investigate the incident.
Retired military judge Faik Tarımcıoğlu stated that the circumstances
that came to light following Ozal's alleged heart attack, such as that
there was no ambulance around the presidential palace and the bottle
of blood taken as a sample from the former president shortly before
he was pronounced dead was later broken, are ridiculous. Tarımcıoğlu
extended his thanks to President Abdullah Gul for giving an order
to the DDK to investigate the death of Ozal, which eventually led
to the discovery that Ozal may have been poisoned, but expressed his
concerns that the findings may be covered up. "Prosecutors should be
extremely careful," he added.
'Ozal was killed slowly over a month' Retired military judge Arif
Yuksel, who served as Ozal's chief advisor, stated that Ozal was not
killed suddenly, but over the period of a month.
Yuksel said Ozal became ill around two weeks before his scheduled
visit to Azerbaijan, and that he begged the former president to cancel
his visit. "He was frequently perspiring and looked very tired at the
time, not like he had looked before. I talked to Ozal to convince him
to cancel his visit to Azerbaijan, and he agreed. But then Semra Ozal
[Ozal's wife] said he would not cancel the visit by any means. After
that Ozal decided not to cancel the visit and went to Azerbaijan,"
the retired judge noted, calling on prosecutors to investigate what
went on during the Azerbaijan visit.
Yuksel also claimed that Ozal was killed by the same shadowy circles,
hinting at the Ergenekon terrorist organization, that killed Gen.
Eşref Bitlis, who died in a place crash in 1993, while he was
investigating questionable links between the military, the terrorist
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other groups. "When Ozal learned
about the death of Bitlis, he said that another son of the country had
been killed. He never believed that the crash was an accident. Ozal
was killed by the same group that killed Bitlis," Yuksel said.