HDP asks Minister Soylu 20 questions about the deadly İzmir attack

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İzmir MPs Serpil Kemalbay and Murat Çepni have submitted a Parliamentary question about the armed attack that targeted the HDP İzmir Provincial Organization building and claimed the life of HDP member Deniz Poyraz on June 17, 2021.

Addressed to Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, the Parliamentary question of HDP İzmir MPs Kemalbay and Çepni has indicated that "the attack was a dark plot which targeted social peace" and underlined that the attack must be brought into light in all its aspects.

'No measures taken, HDP not warned'

The HDP MPs have emphasized that while the assailant posted some pictures peculiar to paramilitary forces and some messages directly indicating that he would carry out a massacre, it is against the natural flow of life that the security and intelligence were unaware of them.

They have stressed that the authorities did not take any measures to prevent the attack and did not warn the HDP İzmir Organization.

'Security, governor's office remained silent'

According to the Parliamentary question, the executives of the HDP İzmir office talked to the İzmir Provincial Security Directorate three times and said that the İzmir provincial building became vulnerable to attacks due to the government's targeting remarks against the HDP and setting up tents by the police across the street where the HDP İzmir office is located.

The MPs have recalled that the Governor of İzmir rejected the HDP İzmir MPs' requests for a meeting.

"While the party executives' warnings to the İzmir Provincial Security Directorate were not taken into account, their statements inciting racist groups to come in front of the party and to hold demonstrations containing hate speech and provocation were reported in the press," they have said.

According to the MPs, the İzmir Provincial Director of Security came in front of the İzmir office right after the attack on June 17 and extended his condolences to the party. During this visit, the party officials criticized the fact that their applications to the security about being turned into a target due to the tent in question were not taken into consideration. The security director reportedly answered that the perpetrator "would not know about the tent, he was of unsound mind."

Çepni and Kemalbay have underlined that "declaring a perpetrator who had not yet given his statement as a person 'of unsound mind' raises questions and suspicions about bringing the attack into light."

20 questions to Soylu

Against this background, HDP İzmir MPs Serpil Kemalbay and Murat Çepni have asked Minister of Interior Soylu 20 questions:

1- Even though the party building and the street are under the surveillance of the law enforcement officers 24 hours a day, how could the murderer carry out a reconnaissance as to the HDP İzmir Provincial Organization building for months and carry out the attack afterwards?

2- How could the murderer enter the building, which is under the surveillance of the law enforcement, with a gun case and special gloves?

3- Has the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) been asked about whether it was informed about the attack and the motives of the attack? If the MİT had information about the attack, why was the HDP Provincial Organization not informed? Why weren't any measures taken?

4- By whom was the assailant trained, equipped and financed?

5- Was it within the knowledge of the police that the armed assailant went up to the 2nd floor, where the HDP İzmir Organization is located? If not, how could the police officer who said on the street, 'There is an attack on the 2nd floor' know that the attack happened on the 2nd floor?

6- Though the murderer posted photos with arms and several messages with threats of murder on social media, why wasn't he detained?

7- Is it true that the perpetrator was assigned to work as a health officer in Syria? If that is true, what procedure was followed in assigning him to work there? Which institution made this assignment?

8- Are the people sent to Syria to work as health officers also given weapon training? If yes, who and which organizations give this training? Will the official papers assigning the murderer to work in Syria be shared with the public? Considering the photos that he shared on social media, did this person participate in the conflicts in Syria?

9- What is the relation of the murderer with the [International Defense Consulting Construction Industry and Trade Inc.] SADAT?

10- Between what dates did perpetrator Onur Gencer stay at the hotel owned by the Governor's Office of İzmir? Did he pay for the time that he stayed there? Or was he a guest of the Governor's Office?

11- Have the bank accounts of perpetrator Onur Gencer been examined?

12- On what grounds was the murderer given the gun license by İzmir Security Directorate while he was not given it by Ankara Security Directorate?

13- Does the İzmir Security Director know perpetrator Onur Gencer? How could he know that the assailant was "a person of unsound mind" while the perpetrator had just been detained and not yet interrogated?

14- How could perpetrator Onur Gencer delete his social media posts in detention? Did the law enforcement officers allow him to use his phone? If not, who used his social media account? Who aided him?

15- It has been reported in the press that the murderer was still on duty at the İzmir Kemalpaşa Public Hospital. The Governor's Office of İzmir stated that he had resigned from public service. Will you share the official documents about the issue with the public?

16- How many people, apart from Onur Gencer, participated in the attack? Who aided the perpetrator? Who are the instigators of the political murder?

17- While there were so many questions to be brought into light, the murderer was not held in detention even for 24 hours, he was arrested in a haste. What is the reason for this?

18- Why was the statement of no one from the HDP Provincial Organization taken?

19- The massacre has led to a public outrage. However, the law enforcement officers took the citizens protesting the massacre into custody by torturing them. Doesn't this attitude mean rewarding the murderer?

20- Why has the Interior Minister made no statement as to the attack on the HDP İzmir Provincial building and the massacre of Deniz Poyraz? (KÖ/SD)