Turkiye remands FETO suspect in custody over scholar's murder

By Serdar Acil and Sefa Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish authorities on Tuesday remanded a suspect in custody in the murder case of a scholar researching the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Nuri Gokhan Bozkir had been brought back to Turkiye on Jan. 27 as a suspect sought with an Interpol red notice in connection with the murder of Turkish academic and writer Necip Hablemitoglu.

Hablemitoglu, known for his research and books on FETO, was assassinated on Dec. 18, 2002. Before his murder, he was set to publish a new book, titled Kostebek (Mole), revealing FETO's infiltration of Turkish state institutions.

After his interrogation, Bozkir was imprisoned on charges of membership in an armed terror group, and "killing by design."

Bozkir had previously fled to Ukraine upon realizing that he would face a prison sentence as part of an investigation into trucks caught in 2015 that were loaded with bomb-making materials and heading to the district of Akcakale in southeastern Turkiye.

While the process for his extradition to Turkiye was still ongoing, Bozkir made unfounded allegations against the country, Turkish state institutions, and senior state officials on FETO-linked news outlets.

His asylum request was denied by Ukrainian authorities.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan