Bulgaria will extradite Hablemitoğlu murder suspect to Türkiye

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The Plovdiv appeals court of Bulgaria yesterday (December 14) reversed the judgment of the regional court on the extradition of Levent Göktaş, a suspect in the assassination of Ass. Professor Necip Hablemitoğlu 20 years ago, one important political murder in the recent history of Türkiye. 

The appeals court accepted Türkiye's request for the extradition of Göktaş and announced that the judgment was final and incontestable. Göktaş will be kept in custody until extradition.

In its written statement made to the Anadolu Agency of Türkiye, the Plovdiv appeals court indicated that the extradition of Göktaş was requested from Bulgaria by Türkiye for the crimes of "intentional murder" and "being a member of a criminal organization" on September 5, 2022.

The court also stated that Göktaş had entered Bulgaria illegally, that he made an application for political asylum and refugee status, but that both applications were rejected.

The court communicated that Göktaş would be extradited to Türkiye in line with the court decision.

Göktaş, sought with red notice, was taken into custody on September 1, in Svilengrad close to the Bulgaria-Türkiye border during a routine traffic control. His extradition was requested from Bulgaria on September 5.

Murder case opened 20 years later

The investigation into the assassination of Associate Professor Necip Hablemitoğlu was completed 20 years after the murder.

Fetullah Gülen and also Mustafa Özcan, Aydın Köstem, and Enver Altaylı, accused of managing the "FETÖ" (Gulenist terrorist organization) are facing the charges of "instigating the intentional killing of Hablemitoğlu" in the indictment accepted by the 36th Heavy Penal Court of Ankara.

There is also retired colonel Levent Göktaş among the suspects. In the indictment, Göktaş, retired commander Ahmet Tarkan Mumcuoğlu and retired major Fikret Emek are being charged with the intentional murder of Hablemitoğlu.

Arrested ex-commander Nuri Gökhan Bozkır and Serhat Ilıcak, a fugitive suspect in the FETÖ case are facing charges of "aiding intentional murder" while another suspect who is arrested in relation to this investigation is the ex-intelligence officer Enver Altaylı who was sentenced to 23 years and 4 months of imprisonment for "being a member of FETÖ terror organization" and "espionage." 

Necip Hablemitoğlu was killed in an assassination in front of his house before he was able to publish his book called "Köstebek" (Mole) examining the Gulenist organization setting up its own cadre in the institutions of the state, on December 18, 2002. The book was published unfinished a year after. 

(AS/PE)