In Execution Cassette: Let Him Start First

Photos of Murat Yuce, the Turkish truck driver kidnapped by Iraqi fighters last Saturday (July 31), and his execution, were posted on an Internet site yesterday. The broadcast begins with an unseen man saying: "Let him begin first".

After this, three Arab militants, who stand behind the kneeling Yuce, read from a text in their hands: "This declaration is to all the Muslims in the world, and especially to the Turkish Muslim Public. Everybody knows that Iraq is under US occupation as the US itself has confessed. In a term, when this occupation is obviously in its worst term, many people, and many companies in the region, still support the US's occupation and make its dollar -- just like the Tepe Group and the Dortheh Company -- despite the warnings to our Muslim siblings, and especially our Turkish siblings, not to give support to the occupiers."

"Murted" for Yuce

The reader continued, "We released many people working with them for they were sorry for their sins. However, they still continue. Here, one of them is murted [going out from religion] Yuce. Everybody knows we will execute the law of God on this murted, and everybody else we take in the future. And will not ignore any of them. We warned the Turkish public. May they turn back to their previous situation; may they be harsh against the ungodly, and supportive of their Muslim siblings."

The reader comes forward and touches Yuce's shoulder. Then Yuce reads the written document aloud. His statement is as follows: "My name is Mehmet Yuce. I am from Corum, and I live in Ankara. I came to Iraq via Bilintur. The Jordanian firm, DMP, makes all the services here -- from cleaning, to establishing US bases. Turkish companies like Tepe Companies Group and Dortheh Company are subcontractors of Jordan Company. The Jordanian firms and Turkish Companies stay on the US bases. We were residing on the US camp in Al Mansur. I, myself, witnessed the US brutality in Iraq. Nonetheless, I stayed here to save money. I say to the Turkish citizens: you do not necessarily need to take up arms to support the US. Any movement or service that confirms the US's existence here is an insult, primarily to humanity and then to Islam and the Iraqi public. Lastly, I want to say that many countries withdrew their companies from Iraq. Let the Turkish Companies withdraw, too.

After Yuce's eyes one of the militias shot him three times in head while he was still kneeling. (YE)