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In November 2009, Molotov cocktails were thrown at a bus and set ablaze in Istanbul. 17-year old Serap Eser was badly burnt and died in the hospital, after a while in coma. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was blamed and still to this day some Turkish officials and pro-Turkey media outlets accuse them.[1][2] In 2015, former Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin later stated “I have unfortunately learned that the people who sabotaged the bus, throwing Molotov cocktails, were members of MİT”.[3]
| 2009 Istanbul bus attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Küçükçekmece, Istanbul |
| Date | 8 November 2009 |
The newspaper Vatan reported that a suspect in the case stated, they were member of MİT (Turkey's intelligence agency, sometimes involved in clandestine events) and that the MIT also had responded to the court confirming this, saying the suspect known as "A.S." had been used as an intelligence operative in a number of incidents.[4]
In 2012, the then Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş stated that the MIT was responsible for the killing and also responsible of other acts.[4] The Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) also raised questions about the incident in 2015 at the Turkish parliament.[5][6][7][8] In the same year members of the CHP Youth Organization marched in front of the Galatasaray High School, chanting slogans and showing signs reading "The murderer state will be accountable", "The Molotov MIT Official Who Killed Serap Eser 241 Children were Murdered under AKP rule. We will ask for an account.", Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Deputy Chairman and Gürsel Tekin General Secretary of the CHP were supportive.[9][10][11]
The attack edit
In November 8, 2009, Molotov cocktails were thrown at a bus, which was set ablaze. A 17-year-old teenager, Serap Eser, was onboard among others on her way home; she was badly burnt, dying a month later in hospital while in a coma.[1][12][13][14]
Aftermath edit
Four who were under the age of 18 when the attack occurred were sentenced for being a member of a terrorist organization and intentional homicide. After Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin statements, four of who were accused of carrying out the attack, filed a complaint to the Bakırköy Public Prosecutor’s Office on 23 January 2015.[3][15][16]
In 2014, Alevi Bektashi Federation chairman Selahattin Özel stated regarding the incident “The PM and his spokespeople are continuously trying to correlate Alevis with terror groups. They are holding Alevis together with terror organizations. Previous to this incident, a girl of ours died in a molotov cocktail [attack] which was thrown at a bus. MİT came out behind this and [the AKP] let them go."[17] A Turkish court dismissed all claims of involvement with the Turkish MİT involvement.[18]
In 2011, a case in which two Kurds were sentenced to over 12 years in prison for being in possession of a Molotov cocktail, the court case referred back to this incident.[19]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "'Kızımı gözlerimin önünde yaktılar'". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ AA, Daily Sabah with (2018-08-01). "PKK has long list of child victims from previous terror attacks". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ a b "Prosecutor dismisses lawsuit into claims of MİT involvement in Istanbul bomb attack - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ a b "Brother demands evidence from former Turkish minister about possible MİT hand in sister's death - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ TM. "[OPINION] Erdoğan's intelligence agency involved in surge of terror | Turkish Minute". Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Google Translate". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Liseli Serap'ı kim yaktı?". Rudaw (in Turkish). January 27, 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "MİT'in molotof atma görevi de var mı?". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "CHP'den Serap Eser eylemi". www.sozcu.com.tr. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "Google Translate". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "CHP'lilerden Serap Eser İçin Suç Duyurusu". Haberler.com (in Turkish). 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ "Motoloflu Saldırıda Yanan Serap Eser Öldü". Bianet - Bagimsiz Iletisim Agi. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Google Translate". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Google Translate". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "'Serap Eser' davasında müebbet kararı". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Google Translate". translate.google.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ ""Trace of MİT in Eser and Kurt Deaths"". Anadolu Türk Haber. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
- ^ "Prosecutor dismisses lawsuit into claims of MİT involvement in Istanbul bomb attack - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
- ^ "Two Kurds sentenced to over 12 years in Turkish jail for holding Molotov cocktail". ekurd.net. Retrieved 2021-05-09.