The 12th hearing of the case against 16 fugitives and Erman Ekici, who was tried for crimes against humanity for the massacre carried out by ISIS on October 10, 2015, in front of the Ankara Train Station, started at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court.

 

'YOU KNOW, 'THAT' CASE!

 

A police officer who said to his colleagues 'A group is entering about you know 'that' case, caused reactions. Erdoğan Tedik, father of Korkmaz Tedik who lost his life in the bomb attack said: "It's not 'that' case. This case has a name. It is October 10 Ankara Massacre Case". The families then entered the court house. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ankara MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Labour Party (EMEP) Chair Selma Gürkan and other politicians attended the hearing as observers.

 

During the hearing, Muhammed Kasım Kurt, who was determined to have spoken on the phone with ISIS's Turkey amir İlhami Balı, was heard as a witness. Kurt, who attended the hearing with the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS), stated that could not hear well and that the person next to him, whom he said to be his son, would convey the questions to him. The presiding judge accepted the request without identifying the person he said was his son.

 

'TURKISH GOVERNMENT WANTED ME TO SPEAK TO THEM' 

 

Claiming that he did not know any of the fugitive defendants, Kurt stated that his phone number was old and had been closed for about 8 months. "I've been using it since 2008," Kurt said. When the judge asked him, "You were determined to have spoken to İbrahim Balı from this number. Do you know him?", Kurt told that he did not know Balı but because he has a lot of relatives in Syria and a soldier was killed in Syria, the state officials, Vice Minister of Interior and Kilis Governor asked him to talk to him. Kurt continued, "That's why I called him. I spoke to the ISIS official and I was imprisoned for 5 months for it."

 

'I WARNED THE OFFICIALS ABOUT AN ISIS MEMBER'

 

Stating that at the end of 2015, a man who called himself 'Furkan' told him that his brother joined ISIS and he informed the Kilis Provincial Gendermerie Command and National Intelligence Agency, Kurt told that later he learned that his person was called Abdulkadir Ercan in the hearing I was being tried at."

 

'WE SPOKE IN THE PRESENCE OF SOLDIERS'

 

The lawyers of the victims of October 10 Massacre asked some questions to Kurt. Kurt said: "I personally spoke to İbrahim Balı on the phone. He was the border commander of ISIS. Intelligence Branch Director, a captain and two non-comissioned officers were present at the meeting. Then they detained and arrested me for speaking to him. I can't identify these people but I know that the Specialized Sergeant was registered in Antep and I know his name."

 

'JUDGE STOPPED KURT FROM NAMING NAMES'

 

The lawyers asked what the name of the sergeant was. Presiding Judge stopped Kurt from answering and told him not to say his name. The families of the victims reacted to the situation and demanded the witness to tell the name. Kurt later told that he did not remember the name.

 

Lawyers insisted that the tapes of these soldiers were already in the file and they had to learn that name on grounds that it was the business of that hearing and said: "But know you told him not to say the name he says he can't remember."

 

The hearing continues with the statements of Kurt.