Prime Ministry's Report On Dink’s Murder Advises Investigation

Taking action after journalist Hrant Dink’s wife Rakel Dink sent a letter to the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in April 2007, the Inspection Committee of the Prime Ministry has completed its report.

Getting its hands on the report, the NTV describes the report as pointing out to the gendarmerie’s neglect in Dink’s murder and asking for another inspection about those officials who neglected their duties.

The report emphasizes that even though there were intelligence reports about the plans to assassinate Hrant Dink, both the gendarmerie and the police did not take the necessary measures.

200 page long report

Three inspectors worked on the details of the Dink investigation for one and a half years and prepared a 200 page report in 27 folders.

During the inspection, the inspectors met with Erhan Tuncel, Yasin Hayal, Ogün Samast and Tuncel’s roommate Tuncay Uzundal. Working just in the Istanbul Police Department lasted close to two months. They inspected in detail the investigation conducted by the Anti-Terror Branch as well.

The events since the meeting of Yasin Hayal with Ogün Samast for the first time in 2002 are presented in a chronological order in the report.

A new telephone number

A new telephone number that Yasin Hayal used during his bombing of McDonals in Trabzon was uncovered during the inspection. The inspectors also found out that Hayal made many telephone calls with people in countries outside of Turkey.

But they were not able to determine the identities of these people, since the Ministry of Justice did not grant the permission needed to reach these records.

“Had the McDonalds bombing been solved, the murder could be prevented”

According to the report, had intelligence official Erhan Tuncel’s role in the McDonald’s bombing was figured out, then Dink’s murder could be prevented.

That Tuncel did not come to the hearing of the McDonald’s bombing and the judiciary did not issue another warrant led to questions, as there is no decision showing that the court has changed its mind about Tuncel’s testimony.

There is intelligence, but no prevention

The other important details in the conclusion of the report are as follows: The Trabzon Police Department knew that Hayal was going to try to assassinate Dink through Tuncel. The same intelligence was received by the Trabzon Gendarmerie through Hayal’s brother in-law as well. However, neither the gendarmerie shared this intelligence with the police, nor the police with the gendarmerie.

An investigation for neglect should be launched

Since there seems to be lack of coordination between these two departments, the inspectors advise investigation for neglect. There seems to be departmental weakness during the period when Tuncel was used as an intelligence official.

Due to the information received from Tuncel, the inspectors want a new investigation regarding the Trabzon police officers, even though the Ministry of Interior had denied the previous attempts to launch an investigation.

The report holds the Trabzon Gendarmerie responsible for not entering the necessary records during Hayal’s departure to  another country in 2006, when he was a fugitive. The report asked for an investigation against those responsible in this matter.

Why was no protection given?

The report asks the question why Hrant Dink was not provided with protection. It demanded investigation against those in the Intelligence Branch Presidency for neglecting their duties.

The report also emphasizes that Istanbul’s Chief of Police Celalettin Cerrah has not been reprimanded yet. (EÖ/TB)