The New Anatolian, Turkey
Feb 24 2007
Yazicioglu: BBP will resist intl plot surrounding Dink murder
The New Anatolian / Ankara
24 February 2007
Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Muhsin Yazicioglu said on Friday that
he isn’t trying to put up a defense but is digging deep to reveal the
truth behind last month’s killing of journalist Hrant Dink, at a
press conference to make public a report prepared by his party over
allegations it has links with the perpetrators.
Dink, an Armenian-origin Turkish journalist, was gunned down by a
teenager last month. The murder increased tension and turned the
spotlights on Trabzon, a northern city that is home to both the
gunman and alleged inciters. The police and Gendarmerie engaged in a
fight over a lack of communication and intelligence, while the
country, including politicians, has been slit over the controversy.
"We’re employing a transparent approach to shed light on to the
issue, otherwise, we don’t have to release our report," Yazicioglu
said, claiming that the killing was part of a greater plan to drive
Turkey into chaos.
"We’re clever enough to notice games played against Turkey. We’re
knowledgeable enough to prevent such games, and we’re determined
enough to resist these games as the last stronghold of the nation,"
he added.
"Turkey is being driven inside an international operation, in the
guise of being engineered by amateurs," he said, claiming that the
killing is the part of the Greater Middle East Initiative employed by
the U.S. to split the region through stirring up the people with
promises of further democracy and freedom.
"There is speculation that Trabzon is seen as a base for certain
religious groups, missionaries to resurrect the old Trabzon Pontus
Empire. Even though we accept them as just talk, the talk itself
causes reaction. Firearms given to the Iraqis by the U.S. are found
in Trabzon and with an extreme leftist organization. The Solidarity
Association of Prisoners’ Families (TAYAD), although it has no
supporters in Trabzon, held several demonstrations there," Yazicioglu
went on to say and concluded that these are parts of an operation to
wear down the Gendarmerie and ignite a debate within the state.
Yazicioglu also told reporters that photos of him with one of the
suspects, Erhan Tuncel, should not arouse questions as he is a
politician and such photos are normal for men traveling around the
country.
Two photos of Tuncel, said to be a former police informant and who
was arrested on charges of inciting the murder, with Yazicioglu were
published in dailies following the killing. Yazicioglu, in an
immediate comment, said that this was a plot against him.
After the speech by his leader, BBP deputy leader Ertugrul Ogan gave
details about the report prepared by him, deputy leader Omer Kose and
party official Metin Gundogdu.
The report brushed aside claims that Tuncel was a member of BBP or
its youth branch, Alperen Ocagi.
It also said that Yasin Hayal, the alleged second man behind the
murder, has registered to the party in 2000 along with his uncle, but
was dismissed last November.
In related news, Veysel Toprak, yet another suspect, was arrested,
raising the total number of arrested people to nine.
The police said that Toprak has close links with Yasin Hayal.