Police raid journalist Sayime Başçı's home after false 'suicide attack' tip-off

Photo: Sözcü

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Police raided the home of Sayime Başçı, an economy reporter for the daily Sözcü, at around 2 a.m. today (October 13).

The raid was based on a "suicide bomber" email tip-off that turned out to be false.

The officers broke the door of Başçı's apartment in Şişli, İstanbul, only to find out that she wasn't at home.

Her neighbors had the officers talk to Başçı over the phone, she told Sözcü. It turned out that she was in the southern Adana province, and the tip-off was false.

"They asked me, 'Do you live here?' and asked for my name and surname, what my profession is and where I work. They said, 'We received a tip-off, and had to enter [the apartment] when no one opened [the door].

"Then the District Security Directorate called me. They mentioned the tip-off but no detailed information was given. The mukhtar [neighborhood head] called me as well. They kept a record. No detailed search was carried out."

"I was shocked"

Police officers met her at the airport in İstanbul at around 6 a.m., she said. "Police were there. They told me that the Security Directorate would cover the damage. They went after the person who made the false tip-off."

She questioned why the police forcibly entered her apartment given that they had all the information about her.

"It is clear who I am. My address, name, surname, they have all of them. I have a press card. All our information can be found on e-Government. I found it very strange that the police learned my name at the doorstep," she said, adding that she was "shocked" by the incident. (HA/VK)