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Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu was asked about his recent remarks on "fighting terrorism" during his time in power in a program he participated on TV5. He said on August 23, "If the past is raked up about counter-terrorism, several people cannot go out in public. The period between June 7 and November 1 [2015] will be one of the most critical periods when the history of the Republic of Turkey is written one day in the future."
Davutoğlu clarified his remarks in the program last night, saying his statement was not related to the bomb attacks at the time and pointed to those in opposition to him in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
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Here are highlights from Davutoğlu's remarks:
"All the efforts in that period were made within the scope of the democratic constitutional state. There is a perception that what happened in those days was done by the state and the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] was oppressed.
"The perpetrators of the attacks at the time were caught and tried. There are many investigations being carried out against many public officials at the time.
"Between June 7 and November 1, when the attack at the [Ankara] Railway Station occurred, I felt such pain that I visited all the wounded there. My job as prime minister is to feel that pain in my heart.
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"The PKK terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the Ceylanpınar attack. The ISIS claimed Suruç [bombing]. In Suruç, there was a legal process. In Ceylanpınar, suspects were detained and acquitted. This is the verdict of the judiciary; I can not say that they are guilty and punishable by law. Naturally, I have no knowledge of that. It is clear that the Ceylanpınar attack was carried out and claimed by the PKK.
"They presented an argument that I supported terrorism. Those who brought a letter from Öcalan before March 31 [elections] and put his brother on TV say this about me.
"So, who's making this accusation? The people who were in the government in my time or MHP [Nationalist Movement Party] executives.
"Why did I say, 'June 7 - November 1'? I didn't have a majority in the parliament at the time. After November 1, I had already won a majority and was in a position to take risks in the fight against terrorism.
"When I went to the MHP leader for a coalition, I expected him to support our governments for the fight against terrorism. What surprised me is that the chairperson of the MHP said 'No' to the proposals we made. How many people took a decision to fight terrorism without a parliamentary majority behind them?"
"I exonerate the MHP supporters, I exonerate the AKP base, they are the people who support the fight against terrorism.
"They tried to erase me from the history of the AKP." (AS/VK)
