"Critical Talks" between Şükre and State Council Attack Suspect

Aykut Metin Şükre, un-detained defendant in the first trial regarding the "Ergenekon terror organization", confessed to have given two weapons to Alparslan Arslan, suspect of the armed attack on the State Council's 2^nd Chamber in May 2006.

Ergenekon is a clandestine ultra-nationalist terrorist organization nested within the state and the military charged with plotting to overthrow the government.

Defendant Şükre presented his defence in the hearing before the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court on 22 March. Şükre stated that he accepted the statements he previously made at the Ankara Anti-Terror Branch Directorate, the prosecutor's office, the court on duty and the Ankara 11^th High Criminal Court.

As reported by Ntvmsnbc.com news site, Şükre said that he knew Arslan and Süleyman Esen since 1997 due to his work at a tea garden belonging to the ultra-nationalist organization Ülkü Ocakaları in Üsküdar on Istanbul's Anatolian side.

Şükre stated that he met Arslan, who was affiliated to the Ülkü Ocakları organization, during his time as a taxi driver. "Arslan asked me to find a car for him when we went to a park in Selimiye. I said I was no longer working as a taxi driver. Then I saw his weapon. When I said 'Brother, you started to carry a gun' he replied, 'I became a lawyer so I need a weapon'. A lawyer had been shut around that time. He said he wanted two more guns. I said 'I'll ask'. I asked Selçuk Özkan and he asked Kenan Özay".

Şükre explained that Kenan Özay and Selçuk Özkan brought the guns approximately 15-20 days later. "The weapons were inside a black bag. I did not see them. I gave the black bag with the two weapons inside to Alparslan".

In a cross examination Şükre was asked by Public Prosecutor Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel what he talked about in a telephone conversation with Arslan he had on 5 May 2006, the day of the bomb attack on Cumhuriyet newspaper. Şükre replied he could not recall the conversation.

Şükre claimed that he did not know that Arslan had thrown a bomb.

Crucial days investigated

Pekgüzel inquired, "Alparslan called you at a crucial time when he was about to throw a bomb. What was the reason for calling you at this crucial time?" Şükre stated that he did not remember.

Prosecutor Pekgüzel pointed out that Şükre talked to Arslan on the phone five times on 14 May 2006 before going to Ankara and that the last base station used was the one in Selimiye. The prosecutor asked whether Şükre met with Arslan.

Şükre answered that he saw Arslan at the Selimiye Mosque on that Sunday and that he passed him the telephone number of a company in Bağlarbaşı to rent a car.

Pekgüzel furthermore indicated that Şükre talked to Arslan on the phone on 15 May 2006 before the latter was going to Ankara. The prosecutor informed the court that Şükre had claimed in previous statement that he gave the weapons to Arslan a long time before the attack on the state council.

Preliminary investigation into Mahmut Yıldırım

The Istanbul Public Chief Prosecutor's Office launched a preliminary investigation into Mahmut Yıldırım and Mehmet Özbey (Özbay) under allegations of "forming a group aimed at committing a criminal offence, extortion and threat". Yıldırım was also known with his Nickname 'Green' ('Yeşil') after the Susurluk scandal. The Prosecutor's Office initiated the investigation upon the request of former Istanbul Organized Crime branch manager Adil Serdar Saçan, who is an un-detained defendant in the Ergenekon case. The related case is to be continued on 5 April. (EÖ/VK)