The Court To Try Former Police Chief Involved In Susurluk Finally Determined

Prosecution of Mehmet Ağar in connection with the Susurluk conspiracy will start on February 9. The hearing will be held at the 11th High Criminal Court of Ankara. If Ağar does not show up then the court decided to bring him in by force.

The 3rd High Criminal Court of Ankara had ruled for lack of jurisdiction and sent the case to the 11th Court. Ağar had managed to be excused from this hearing.

Accusations

Ağar, whose prosecution became possible when his immunity as a parliamentarian was removed when he could not get elected again, will be accused for the following acusations regarding the period when he worked as a police chief:

- To form an armed organization to commit crime

- Not to reveal the whereabouts of Abdullah Çatlı who was wanted for the Bahçelievler massacre, even though he had knowledge of it. Çatlı was killed in the car accident at the town of Susurluk that eventually led to the uncovering of the Susurluk conspiracy.

- For gross misconduct by providing Abdullah Çatlı and Yaşar Öz with permits to carry arms and high level special (green) passports. 

The report of the Parliamentary commission

The parliamentary report about Ağar reached the following conclusions:

- The passport and guns that were found on the person of Çatlı at the Susurluk accident were given to him by Mehmet Ağar and the acting president of the Special Action Office İbrahim Şahin.

- Three police officers who were suspects in the murder of Ömer Lütfü Topal, that is, Ayhan Çarkın, Ercan Ersoy and Oğuz Yorulmaz, were brought from Istanbul to Ankara and released by the order of Ağar after a superficial inspections. (TK/TB)