Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 30 2008

Two years imprisonment sought for colonel in Dink case

Following an investigation into those who were suspected of
dereliction of duty in the Hrant Dink murder case, a prosecutor has
filed a lawsuit against former Trabzon Gendarmerie Commander Col. Ali
Ã-z and six soldiers which seeks up to two years of imprisonment.

Ã-z and soldiers Veysel Å?ahin, Okan Å?imÅ?ek,
Metin Yıldız, Ã-nder Aras, Hüseyin
Yılmaz and Hacı Ã-mer Ã`naldı will be tried
at the Trabzon 2nd Criminal Court of Peace.

In July, the testimony of an ex-gendarmerie officer indicated that
Ã-z disregarded information related to the murder of Dink, a
Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor, before the assassination.

Retired Lt. Col. Ali OÄ?uz Ã?aÄ?lar, the former
director of the Trabzon gendarmerie public security branch, confirmed
the testimonies of two gendarmes who said they had informed their
superior officer, Ã-z, about the impending murder but had given
false statements during the course of the investigation under pressure
from Ã-z.

Facing an investigation over suspicions of "hiding information and
failing to act" on reports that Dink was in danger, Ã-z gave his
testimony on July 21 and responded by stating either "I don’t
remember" or "I don’t know them" when asked about the intelligence
information related to Dink’s murder and the two gendarmes who said
they had informed him about the murder.

Gendarmes Å?imÅ?ek and Å?ahin testified that they
knew about the plot to kill Dink six months before the murder took
place and said they had informed Gendarmerie Intelligence Director
Capt. Metin Yıldız, who informed Ã-z. The two
officers testified that Ã-z did nothing upon receiving the
information.

30 December 2008, Tuesday
BÃ`LENT CEYHAN Ä°STANBUL

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress