Şahin Attacking Can Dündar Arrested over ‘Armed Threat’

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Murat Şahin assaulting Cumhuriyet daily’s Editor-in-Chief, Can Dündar with gun has been arrested on “opposing the Law on Armed Weapons and Knifes and armed threat”.

Murat Şahin and four others were detained following the attack that occurred in front of the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. Three of the suspects have been released after the prosecution took their testimonies. For a suspect of foreign origin, “international travel ban and obligation to leave signature to the nearest security center once a week” has been issued”.

On May 6, Friday an armed attack had been carried out against Can Dündar whilst verdict in hearing over his and the daily’s Ankara Representative Erdem Gül’s MİT Truck report had been awaited.

He went to courthouse twice on the day of the incident

According to the report of Cumhuriyet daily, it was stated that attacker Murat Şahin questioned in Homicide Bureau Directorship said, “I was becoming irritated with the news he was making. I knew that he went to England at one stage. I was thinking that he was a British agent. I staged this plan to give him a lesson. My aim definitely wasn’t to kill him, but to frighten him to make sure he watches his step”.

Police established that Şahin left his house in Gaziosmanpaşa at around 8:30 a.m. and came to İstanbul Justice Courthouse by bus on the day of the incident. It was learned that the suspect wandered around the square until 12:30 p.m. and the returned to Gaziosmanpaşa. Then it was determined that the suspect came to the courthouse again at around 2:30 p.m. and waited by himself till the time of the incident, and he was all alone during the whole time.

Police reportedly entertain the possibility that the attack was organized and three more have been taken into custody this morning. (ÇT/TK)

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