DEFENDANTS IN ISTANBUL CHURCH SHOOTING GO ON TRIAL

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
July 3 2007

Karaova and Ozalp were charged with opening fire and making threats
during a service at Istanbul’s Kumkapý Meryam Ana Church to mark the
40th day following the death of Dink.

ISTANBUL – A Turkish court began hearing a case against two men
who allegedly raided a church and opened fire during a service to
commemorate slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

The prosecution has asked for up to nine years jail terms for Volkan
Karaova and Yilmaz Can Ozalp, the two men accused of the incident.

The defendants denied the charges and said that they sheltered in
church from a pimp armed with knives. They said that there were
bargaining for Russian women and feared being attacked and sought
shelter in the church.

When reminded that they admitted that they went there to murder
Armenian Patriarch Mutafyan in statements previously given to police,
both men said that they had lost their memories.

The court ruled that the patriarch of the Armenian community should
attend the next hearing.

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