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Hurriyet, Turkey
June 9 2012
Turkish general to testify in murder trial
MALATYA
Top General HurÅ?it Tolon, who has been under arrest in a coup plot
case has been called to testify as a suspect in the ongoing case of
murder of three missionaries. Tolon's words may shed light on the
murders, victims' lawyer says
Three missionaries were tortured before having their throats slit at
the Zirve Publishing House in this building. Hürriyet photo
former top commander of the Turkish armed forces has been called to
testify as a suspect in the ongoing case of murder of three
missionaries.
Three missionaries, German citizen Tillman Geske and two Turks, Necati
Aydın and UÄ?ur Yüksel, were tied up and tortured before having their
throats slit at the Zirve Publishing House, a Christian publisher, in
the eastern province of Malatya on April 18, 2007.
Five young men, aged 19 and 20 at the time of the killings, confessed
to the murder and were arrested for the crime. However, authorities
have been continuing to investigate the matter, which is believed by
many to be an act of the `deep state' rather than a group of
independent fanatics.
Shedding light on murders
The testimony of Gen. HurÅ?it Tolon, who has been under arrest in the
ongoing Ergenekon coup plot, may shed light on the case, according
Erdal DoÄ?an, the lawyer of the Zirve case.
`The court's call is very important, but more is needed to be done to
shed light on the murders,' said DoÄ?an. He also added that the ongoing
coup plot cases such as Ergenekon, Balyoz, Kafes and the Action Plan
against Reactionism cases must be joined in this case.
`The Malatya Zirve Publishing house massacre, as well as the Father
Santaro and Father Padovese murders, were presented as `missionary
murders,' but this was a big mistake,' said DoÄ?an.
`On the one hand they stirred up Christian hostility among society and
on the other hand they tried to make up a reducing perception to cover
the murders,' he said.
DoÄ?an, who is also one of the lawyers of slain Armenian-origin Hrant
Dink's family, said this step would contribute to moving forward in
other cases as well.
`This will let other connected cases like the Peder Santoro, Hrant
Dink and Peder Padovese murders to be enlightened.'
On of the important links in the massacre chains, the Hrant Dink
murder, may have a new dimension once Tolon is tried as a suspect, he
added. The other critical hearing of the Malatya Publishing House
Massacre will be held on June 18, DoÄ?an said.
The Malatya massacre was not the first of its kind. In 2006, Father
Andrea Santoro of the Catholic Church of Santa Maria in Trabzon was
murdered. One year later, editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish
newspaper Agos, Hrant Dink, was murdered in Istanbul on Jan 19.
Four months later, the Malatya massacre took place, in which German
citizen Tillman Geske and two Turks, Necati Aydın and UÄ?ur Yüksel,
were tied up and tortured before having their throats slit.
Daily News reporter Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu contributed to this report.
June/09/2012
From: Baghdasarian
June 9 2012
Turkish general to testify in murder trial
MALATYA
Top General HurÅ?it Tolon, who has been under arrest in a coup plot
case has been called to testify as a suspect in the ongoing case of
murder of three missionaries. Tolon's words may shed light on the
murders, victims' lawyer says
Three missionaries were tortured before having their throats slit at
the Zirve Publishing House in this building. Hürriyet photo
former top commander of the Turkish armed forces has been called to
testify as a suspect in the ongoing case of murder of three
missionaries.
Three missionaries, German citizen Tillman Geske and two Turks, Necati
Aydın and UÄ?ur Yüksel, were tied up and tortured before having their
throats slit at the Zirve Publishing House, a Christian publisher, in
the eastern province of Malatya on April 18, 2007.
Five young men, aged 19 and 20 at the time of the killings, confessed
to the murder and were arrested for the crime. However, authorities
have been continuing to investigate the matter, which is believed by
many to be an act of the `deep state' rather than a group of
independent fanatics.
Shedding light on murders
The testimony of Gen. HurÅ?it Tolon, who has been under arrest in the
ongoing Ergenekon coup plot, may shed light on the case, according
Erdal DoÄ?an, the lawyer of the Zirve case.
`The court's call is very important, but more is needed to be done to
shed light on the murders,' said DoÄ?an. He also added that the ongoing
coup plot cases such as Ergenekon, Balyoz, Kafes and the Action Plan
against Reactionism cases must be joined in this case.
`The Malatya Zirve Publishing house massacre, as well as the Father
Santaro and Father Padovese murders, were presented as `missionary
murders,' but this was a big mistake,' said DoÄ?an.
`On the one hand they stirred up Christian hostility among society and
on the other hand they tried to make up a reducing perception to cover
the murders,' he said.
DoÄ?an, who is also one of the lawyers of slain Armenian-origin Hrant
Dink's family, said this step would contribute to moving forward in
other cases as well.
`This will let other connected cases like the Peder Santoro, Hrant
Dink and Peder Padovese murders to be enlightened.'
On of the important links in the massacre chains, the Hrant Dink
murder, may have a new dimension once Tolon is tried as a suspect, he
added. The other critical hearing of the Malatya Publishing House
Massacre will be held on June 18, DoÄ?an said.
The Malatya massacre was not the first of its kind. In 2006, Father
Andrea Santoro of the Catholic Church of Santa Maria in Trabzon was
murdered. One year later, editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish
newspaper Agos, Hrant Dink, was murdered in Istanbul on Jan 19.
Four months later, the Malatya massacre took place, in which German
citizen Tillman Geske and two Turks, Necati Aydın and UÄ?ur Yüksel,
were tied up and tortured before having their throats slit.
Daily News reporter Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu contributed to this report.
June/09/2012
From: Baghdasarian