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Chechen leader in Ankara ‘killed for $1 million’

March 13, 2015 By administrator

A man who is suspected of involvement in the killing of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria’s honorary consul in Ankara in 2013 told friends that his group committed the crime for $1 million, a witness has told the court, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Medet Ünlü, 53, was killed by armed assailants at the honorary consulate in Ankara on May 22, 2013.
Turkish citizen Murat Aluç was arrested as the main suspect on Oct. 11, 2014. He confessed to the crime, claiming that pro-Russian Chechens in Turkey “promised him a life in Ukraine” for the assassination.

Ö.Ş., another detained suspect who is accused of hiding Aluç from law enforcement for months, was released by the court pending trial, despite the prosecutor’s request that he be arrested.

A witness told the prosecutor in Ankara on Jan. 28 that Aluç was wearing a different hat every time he left Ö.Ş’s house during his time as a fugitive following the murder, daily Hürriyet has learned.

“We killed Medet Ünlü for $1 million. We were planning to kill five more people from this neighborhood, but the balloon burst,” the witness quoted Ö.Ş. as angrily yelling at a local cafe, according to the testimony.

Aluç told the prosecutor that he received $40,000 from a goldsmith in Istanbul’s Beyazıt neighborhood for the killing.

The Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul is probing the claim, while the investigation in Ankara is continuing.

Meanwhile, the family of Ünlü has filed a new complaint after the latest testimonies, demanding the released suspects in the case to be arrested.

The family claims that Aluç was hired by a Russian citizen who returned to Russia two days after the murder.

Ünlü was against Russian military operations in Chechnya and had been working as an activist to stop Chechens from going to fight in Syria as jihadists. His wife had claimed in a petition in July that Ünlü had been under the surveillance of Turkish intelligence when he was killed and “suffered oppression” from some circles, particularly pointing to Ramzan Kadirov, the pro-Russian leader of Chechnya who is accused of gross human rights violations in the territory.

In a separate case, five Chechens who were killed in Istanbul between 2009 and 2011 were murdered in the name of Russia’s intelligence agency, according to a Feb. indictment by Bakırköy Public Prosecutor Ahmet Demirhüyük in Istanbul.

A Chechen activist died in Istanbul after being hospitalized with suspected food poisoning on March 2, with some of his relatives and Turkish activists accusing Russia’s intelligence agency of poisoning him.

ISIL leader hospitalized in Turkey’s Denizli: Official

March 6, 2015 By administrator

The Turkish man said to be an ISIL commander is treated at Pamukkale University Hospital, according to the Denizli Governor’s Office. (Photo: DHA)

Turkey has confirmed that an ISIL terrorist leader has been hospitalized in a facility in west of the country, further proving links between Ankara and the Takfiris who are wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria.

A statement from the Denizli Governor’s Office confirmed Friday recent media speculations that a commander of the Takfiri terrorist ISIL group is receiving medical treatment in the western Turkish province.

According to the Turkish daily Today’s Zaman, the statement said that the terrorist, identified as Emrah Ç, has been admitted to the Pamukkale University Hospital after being injured in a bombing in Syria.

“Judicial procedures regarding his injury were carried out when he crossed into Turkey from Syria. His treatment is still underway in Denizli in accordance with the right to receive medical attention, just like a normal citizen,” said the statement.

The suspected terrorist initially went to a hospital in the border province of Antakya before coming to Denizli where he has relatives there.

Turkey has been one of the major supporters of militants operating in Syria since the crisis began in the Arab country in 2011. Ankara did not stop its backing for the terrorists even after the militancy spread to neighboring Iraq in 2014 where thousands of people have been brutally killed by the ISIL militants.

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç (pictured above) recently revealed that thousands o f Turkish nationals have joined the terrorist groups operating in Syria.

Last month, Turkey and the US signed a deal to train and arm who they called moderate militants fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 210,000 people, according to reports.

Syria airstrikes kill al-Nusra Front leaders: Report

March 5, 2015 By administrator

More than a dozen senior leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front have been killed in two airstrikes by the Syrian army in the northwestern part of Syria.

The terrorist group reportedly said on social media on Thursday that its military chief, Abu Homam al-Shami, was killed in the attacks, the state-funded BBC reported.

Abu Musab Falastini, Abu Omar Kurdi, and Abu Baraa Ansari were three other leaders of the terrorist group killed in the attacks.

The airstrikes were reportedly conducted by the Syrian army in the al-Habit area of the Idlib Province.

A Middle Eastern security source, who was briefed by Syrian intelligence, said a senior Saudi operative in the group was also killed in the air raids, which took place in the town of Salqin and a nearby town in Idlib.

One of the attacks targeted a meeting of the terrorist group’s leaders and the other one targeted a military base of the group.

A spokesman for the US-led coalition, which is conducting airstrikes against what are said to be ISIL position in Syria and Iraq, said the coalition’s fighter jets were not involved.

“Within the last 24 hours, we have not conducted any airstrikes within 200 miles of the province of Idlib,” the spokesman said.

Al-Nusra Front, along with many other foreign-backed Takfiri groups, including the ISIL terrorist group, are operating against the government of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of 210,000 people, according to reports.

New figures show that over 76,000 people, including thousands of children, lost their lives in Syria last year.

source: presstv

Turkey, Kurdish leader: We recognize Armenian Genocide without question

January 19, 2015 By administrator

Selahattin Demirtas, who is co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish “Peoples’ Democratic Party” (HDP) and an ex-presidential candidate, has reiterated that they recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Demirtas responded to numerous questions, including the query on the recognition the Armenian Genocide, on the air of CNN Turk.

“We recognize the Armenian Genocide without question. The Kurds and others certainly have played a role in the Armenian Genocide, but the political will [to commit this genocide] was that of the Young Turks’ party, led by Enver and Talaat Pashas.

“If Turkey claims to own the Ottoman heritage, let it own it [, the Armenian Genocide], too. If not, let it come to grips with this tragedy,” Selahattin Demirtas specifically noted.

Iran is set to reclaim its role as regional leader

November 18, 2014 By administrator

Once US troops go home, Iran has the most battle-ready military force to offset regional challenges.

By Shahram Akbarzadeh

Most commentary on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) point to the challenges it presents to the Middle East. Sectarian tensions may have been a fact of life in the region. But ISIL has made it the number one threat to the political order – it cost Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki his job.

The implications of the scourge of sectarianism are far reaching for Iran too. As a constitutionally Shia Muslim state, Iran is mindful of the restricting framework of sectarianism. Since its inception, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been eager to project an image that transcends sectarian differences. This has been a key pillar of Iran’s regional policy. Speaking to the Muslim masses and voicing popular angst against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, or against US arrogance and political domination of the international order, have been at the heart of Iran’s message to its neighbourhood. Of course, this has antagonised neighbouring regimes, which accuse Tehran of destabilising the region.

Saudi Arabia was quite vocal in protesting against Iran’s message following the 1979 revolution. But Tehran turned such criticism to its advantage. By supporting Hamas and Hezbollah in an apparent attempt to challenge Israel, which it calls the “Zionist entity”, by proxy it gained political credibility on the Arab street. Having Hamas in this alliance was very important, as it offered Iran an example of an inter-sectarian alliance against a common enemy.

Trans-sectarian policy

The notion of the “axis of resistance” applied to the political congruity of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, was celebrated in Iran as a successful case of its trans-sectarian policy, emphasising the political unity of all Muslims. Iran clearly saw itself as the champion of all Muslims and with the sprouting Arab Spring, the Iranian leadership was self-congratulatory for providing a model for the Muslim world to follow, even though the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt appeared very reluctant to follow the Iranian model.

But the Arab Spring has now turned to winter and given rise to devastating carnage in Syria and Iraq. ISIL has galvanised the international community to act. The US-led aerial bombardment of ISIL assets have offered the Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iraqi forces some reprieve.

Ironically, the common threat of ISIL has put old foes on the same side of the fence. Iran and the US have an enemy in ISIL. So why is Iran not part of the international coalition?

The Iranian leadership operates in its own political and psychological sphere, and responds to a range of factors beyond the geo-strategic needs of the day. The parameters of this sphere dictate that Iran cannot afford to be seen as a minor player in a US-led operation. Iran sees itself as an equal player, and in many ways a more critical player because of its geographical location. While this does not rule out ad hoc contact between the two sides on practical issues, it does make entering into a military alliance with the US highly problematic for Iran’s sense of its own regional role.

Suspicions

The Iranian leadership is also suspicious of US intentions and sincerity in the fight against ISIL. The US is accused of sponsoring rebel groups in Syria, and having a hand in the emergence of what Iran calls “takfiris” (apostate groups). A recent statement by US Secretary of State John Kerry about the role of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Turkey in the rise of ISIL seemed to vindicate Iranian cynicism. Saudi Arabia is now part of the international coalition to stop the ISIL land grab. The Iranian authorities, especially the conservatives, see this as disingenuous. Indeed, Washington’s continued commitment to deposing Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which is at war with ISIL, is seen as evidence of its deceit.

Instead, Iran sees its ties with the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) as leverage in the push against ISIL. Iranian authorities celebrate what they see as Tehran’s immediate response to aid Iraq against ISIL, and have published images of General Qasem Soleimani, the Commander of Quds Forces, in Kurdistan.

From Iran’s point of view, history is on its side: Once all is said and done, once US troops return home, Iran maintains the most battle-ready military force to offset regional challenges, buttressed with strong political ties with Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah. The Iranian leadership remains confident that this alliance will allow Tehran to shift the focus back on Israel, and allow Iran to reclaim its role as regional leader.

Shahram Akbarzadeh is Research Professor and ARC Future Fellow at the Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Australia.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

Source:
Al Jazeera

US air strike on Islamic State convoy killed leader’s key aide

November 9, 2014 By administrator

US unable to confirm if Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi among casualties, amid warning that Isis leadership would regenerate

A key aide to the leader of Islamic State (Isis) was killed in a US strike on a convoy near the Iraqi city of Mosul that destroyed 10 vehicles carrying a number of the group’s top militants.

Abdul Rahman al-Athaee, also known as Abu Saja, is known to have died in the attack on Friday. A key aide to the Isis leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, he travelled frequently with the group’s top leadership.

Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman at US central command, said on Saturday: “I can confirm that coalition aircraft did conduct a series of air strikes yesterday evening [Friday] in Iraq against what was assessed to be a gathering of Isil [Isis] leaders near Mosul. We cannot confirm if Isil leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was among those present.”

Iraqi officials were also unable to confirm whether Baghdadi was among the 50 casualties. Isis did not immediately issue any statement on the strikes.

The news came as Britain’s chief of the defence staff, General Sir Nick Houghton, warned on Sunday that the Isis leadership would regenerate itself even if Baghdadi had been killed.

In a sign that the UK believed there was a strong chance Baghdadi died in the air strikes, Houghton spoke of “potential death” as he said it would take some days for the US to confirm whether the Isis leader was alive or not.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, the general said: “I can’t absolutely confirm that al-Baghdadi has died. Even the Americans themselves are not yet in a position to do that. Probably it will take some days to have absolute confirmation.”

But Houghton warned that Isis would fight back if its leader had been killed. He said: “What I wouldn’t want to do is rush to the sense that the potential death of one of their totemic leaders is going to create some strategic reverse within Isis. They will regenerate leadership … because of the current potential attractiveness of this warped ideology. Unless we get the political dimension of the strategy in place then Isis has the potential to keep regenerating and certainly regenerating its leaders.

“In Iraq what is needed is government of national unity, inclusive government, so that all the ethnic dimensions of Iraq are combined. This is where the [Nouri] al-Maliki government got it horribly wrong.”

He added that it was important Maliki administration had been removed and that the Haider al-Abadi government – “which, in its early days is promising to be inclusive” – had support.

Baghdadi, who was said to keep a low profile even among his own armed supporters, made a rare public appearance at a mosque in Mosul in July in which he declared himself the leader of the new caliphate.

A US-led coalition has been launching air strikes on Isis militants and facilities in Iraq and Syria for months as part of an effort to give Iraqi forces the time and space to mount a more effective offensive.

The Pentagon announced on Friday that 1,500 additional US troops would boost the 1,600 military advisers that were already in Iraq to assist the country’s army.

Barack Obama also plans to request $5.6bn (£3.5bn) from Congress, including $1.6bn to be used to train and arm Iraqi forces.

Bulgarian Nationalists Boycott Turkish Defense Minister Visit

November 16, 2012 By administrator

November 16, 2012, Friday By: novinite.com

Bulgaria‘s far-right, nationalist Ataka party staged a protest rally Friday against the visit of Turkish Defense Minister, Ismet Yilmaz, to Sofia.

The Turkish Minister, however, was met with honors by his Bulgarian counterpart, Anyu Angelov and three companies – from the land force, the air force and the navy. “The relations between Bulgaria and Turkey are an example of good partnership between neighbors and allies in NATO,” said Angelov during his meeting with Yilmaz. The two discussed matters of cooperation in the defense sector.

They also laid wreaths at the Unknown Soldier monument.

Meanwhile, Ataka leaders and followers were seen in the vicinity of the monument, holding signs such as “We cannot be brothers in arms with those who massacred Bulgarians for five centuries,” “Turkey Owes Us USD 10 B for Properties in Thrace,” and “Boyko, Don’t Lead Us to War with Erdogan.”

The rally was attended by Ataka leader, Volen Siderov, and Ataka Members of the Parliament, Pavel Shopov, Desisilav Choukolov, and Ventsislav Lakov.

Siderov complained of the strong police presence, saying it was a disgrace and a violation of the rights of the MPs. He reminded that every time a Turkish official is visiting Bulgaria his party was the only one to voice the truth that Turkey is indebted to Bulgaria.

“We represent the position of hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians who voted for us. There is no difference between the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS. Both work not for Bulgarian, but for Turkish interests,” the nationalist leader concluded.