20 December 2013 /TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Five ministers including Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan and Interior Minister Muammer Güler are seen exiting the Prime Ministry’s office in Ankara on Dec. 19. (Photo: Today’s Zaman, MevlÜt Karabulut)
According to the documents, the surveillance, which led to a wide-ranging investigation into corruption and bribery allegations involving ministers, businessmen and an İstanbul mayor, monitored and recorded bribes being sent to the economy minister’s son, Kaan Çağlayan. Zarrab’s couriers Ahmet Murat Öziş and Sadık Mohammadsadegh Rastgarshishehg allegedly delivered $2 million, 2 million euros and TL 1.5 million (totaling around TL 11 million).
Police surveillance discovered that Öziş met with Murat Cesurtürk on Aug. 30, 2013 at 3.30 p.m. near the Orient business center. Öziş was filmed coming into the building empty-handed and leaving it with a suitcase and backpack, presumably full of the bribe money, the evidence showed. An hour later on the same day, Rastgarshishehg and Öziş convened, and the conversation between the two was recorded. Rastgarshishehg was reported to ask, “How many pieces of luggage now, Murat, two?” Öziş replied: “One suitcase and a backpack, brother. $3.2 euros and TL 1.5 [dropping the millions].”
Rastgarshishehg and Öziş were pictured after an hour-long meeting with Cesurtürk and an individual known only as “Sabri” at Atatürk Airport in İstanbul. They went into the Domestic Flights Departures building carrying the suitcase and backpack. They put the bags through the x-ray scanner, and when civil security officers asked them to open the suitcase and backpack, they found that they were full of 500 euro, $100 and TL 200 banknotes. The officer asked how much money was there and heard from Öziş that the sum was 2 million euros, $2 million and TL 1.5 million.
The same day, at 5.28 p.m., Zarrab was recorded speaking with Rastgarshishehg again. Zarrab said the euros belonged to the “Zafer holiday” (presumably referring to Minister Çağlayan). “Did you put the euros there,” he asked, and Rastgarshishehg responded with “2 euros, $2 and 1.5 liras.” Zarrab said: “I will find him. You can go.” Rastgarshishehg said: “He is the same guy as always. If so, there is no problem. … is the same guy, okay.”
At 7.07 p.m., Öziş sent a text message to Abdullah Happani to inform him that the plane had landed in Ankara. At 8.09 p.m., Rastgarshishehg was recorded saying to Zarrab: “I am waiting here. They are not opening the door.” Zarrab answered him: “They said 9 p.m. It is now 8.10 p.m. You will go to the tenth floor. Ask whose house is Kaan’s.”
After about 10 minutes, Rastgarshishehg called Zarrab to say that he was in and ask whether Zarrab had anything to tell “him.” Zarrab said, “Convey my greetings,” and Rastgarshishehg responded with “Aleyküm selam.”
Police surveillance was unable to capture the act of delivery on film.