October 10 Report: Security Knowing All Except Time of Attack Warned Only Personnel

Click here to read the article in Turkish / Haberin Türkçesi için buraya tıklayın

Evrensel and Cumhuriyet dailies laying their hands on inspection pre-report as to the Ankara attack, which claimed lives of 109 at Ankara Train Station, continue making news of the report’s details.

The details in the report were published with signature of Kemal Göktaş from Cumhuriyet daily, and Cem Gurbetoğlu and Tamer Arda Erşin from Evrensel dailyç

Only time was unknown

According to news of the Evrensel, the intelligence delivered to the security prior to the Ankara Massacre didn’t contain name of the bomber but also the location of the attack.

While previous intelligence notices use the expression “Crowded areas”, the notice dated September 14, 2015 specifies that “it might take place at a meeting/demonstration by a large number of suicide bombers”. Thus, it is openly stated that the meetings will be targeted, and the method explained by “multiple suicide bombers”.

The security warned its own personnel

According to Cumhuriyet’s report, the Security warned its personnel of a possible suicide bomb attack, yet didn’t assess the risks of possible attacks against the participants of the meeting.

The security in its notice to the personnel instructed them to be “sensitive against a suicide bomb attack” ahead of the meeting.

It is “normal” to use gas on the wounded

The inspectors concluded that police were not at fault as to using gas bomb and pressured water on the wounded. The inspection report defended that the police teams moved in front of the Station to evacuate the scene against another explosion, enable the delivery of the ambulances, and take the scene under control. “It has been determined by the Forensic Medicine Institute report that no one died due to the police intervention”, stated the report.

Reason of not conveying the intelligence: Personnel could say "They keep sending the same notice"

Evrensel daily in its report published yesterday (April 13) covered that Anti-Terror Branch Directorate, C Bureau Supervisor Hüseyin Özgür Gür didn’t inform his superiors of the intelligence as to the attack. The report today covered Gür’s defense.

Gür in his defense states that the notice with same content might have a negative impact on the personnel who might say “Another warning notice? They keep sending the same notice”. Gür also noted that the document may be exposed (on press etc.) for no meaningful reason, so he thought it would suffice to let the personnel know. (HK/TK)