Kaşif Kozinoğlu (1955, Trabzon – 13 November 2011, Istanbul) was a senior Turkish intelligence official in the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). He died of an apparent heart attack in prison, shortly before he was due to give evidence in the Ergenekon trials, in which he was considered a suspect.[1][2] His death was considered suspicious and investigated by prosecutors.[3][4][5]
Career edit
Kozinoğlu graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1976, joining the Army's Special Warfare Department in 1980. He was part of this department and its Special Forces Command successor until his retirement in 1995, when he joined the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). He served abroad in locations including Bosnia, Syria and Afghanistan and became head of the Asia Region.[6] In 1986 he helped train police special forces, and in 1987 helped set up MIT's first foreign department.[7]
He was arrested in 2011 on charges of passing information to odatv.com, which prosecutors allege is part of Ergenekon.[8][9][10] He told prosecutors that he had been in contact with Alaettin Çakıcı as part of an attempt to prevent an assassination of a high-profile politician.[11] Mehmet Eymür told Ergenekon prosecutors that Kozinoğlu had ordered the assassination of Kurdish politician Murat Bozlak,[1] while Akın Birdal has suggested Kozinoğlu was part of the team which attempted to assassinate him in 1998.[12] Kozinoğlu is said to have monitored MIT chief Hakan Fidan.[13]
References edit
- ^ a b Today's Zaman, 22 March 2013, Eymür: Kozinoğlu gave order to have Bozlak assassinated Archived 31 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 11 March 2011, MİT’s Kozinoğlu put behind bars for Ergenekon membership
- ^ Today's Zaman, 17 November 2011, Probe under way into suspicious death of MİT's Kozinoğlu Archived 3 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 3 February 2012, Kozinoğlu’s death was not caused by heart attack, preliminary forensic report shows Archived 10 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 24 November 2011, More suspicion over MİT agent’s death Archived 27 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ odatv.com, 14 November 2011, KAŞİF KOZİNOĞLU KİMDİR
- ^ Today's Zaman, 14 November 2011, MİT officer's death shrouded in mystery Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 11 September 2011, Odatv owner Yalçın gives info on MİT mole Kaşif Kozinoğlu Archived 12 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 20 March 2011, MİT member gave classified documents to Odatv reporters
- ^ Hurriyet Daily News, 4 April 2011, Turkish intelligence agency seeks 'the mole within'
- ^ Today's Zaman, 11 March 2011, MİT's Kozinoğlu sent to court on terror charges Archived 20 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 19 February 2012, Birdal says late MİT official was part of team set up to kill him Archived 20 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Today's Zaman, 9 March 2011, Kozinoğlu kept tabs on MİT’s Fidan, and family, daily claims Archived 13 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine