Crime boss’ brother details gov’t links in murder of Turkish Cypriot journalist

(Re-leads with confessions from Peker's brother)

Turkish crime boss Sedat Peker on Tuesday called for the arrest of a former interior minister and intelligence official over the murder of Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adalı, who was assassinated in northern Cyprus in 1996.

The organised crime leader making international headlines over his allegations against Turkish government officials, shared a document on Twitter, containing what Peker called the confessions of his brother Atilla Peker surrounding the murder of Adalı, which remains unsolved to date.

"Here is the statement of my brother Atilla Peker on the murder of Kutlu Adalı,’’ Peker wrote, addressing Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu. "If you are a man, you would have Mehmet Ağar and Korkut Eken also arrested.’’

süslü süleyman, kardeşim Atilla PEKER’in Kutlu Adalı cinayeti ile ilgili ifadesi burada. Resmi kayıta girdi. Adamsan mehmet ağarla korkut ekeni de tutuklattırsana. @adalet_bakanlik @izmir_barosu pic.twitter.com/PoPOd0gUnn

— Sedat Peker (@sedat_peker) May 25, 2021

Adalı, who wrote about irregularities by Turkish authorities before and after the 1974 invasion of Cyprus, was gunned down in front of his home on July 6, 1996.

According to mobster Peker, this was an act of another group, before his team could get to Adalı.

The document Peker shared on Twitter, which appeared to be submitted to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, details Peker’s brother's trip with former intelligence chief Korkut Eken from Turkey to Cyprus in March 1996 for the purpose of assassinating Adalı.

In the two page-document, Atilla Peker claims Eken provided him with a weapon for the murder of the Cypriot journalist, even teaching him how to use a silencer.

The document also explains how Atilla Peker studied the surroundings of Adalı’s home in the TRNC and was ordered by Eken to shoot Adalı - even if there were other people around.

After the police investigation in northern Cyprus failed to advance on Adalı’s murder,  his wife İlkay Adalı brought the issue to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). On March 31, 2005, the court convicted Turkey for not carrying out an extensive and credible investigation into the murder.

Before his assassination, Adalı had been working on an armed raid incident held in the St. Barnabas Monastery, an icon museum in Cyprus’ eastern Famagusta province.

In his related article dated March 23, 1996, Adalı made allegations that 15 masked and gunned men were searching for precious jewellery, which had been believed to be buried under the monastery during the war in 1974.

Adalı wrote that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) civil defence organisation had been involved in the incident.

"Commander Korkut told me to shoot even if there are three people (there)all of them are PKK members. Anyone who is friends with a PKK member is his or herself a member of the PKK,’’ Atilla Peker says, according to the document Peker shared on Tuesday.

The assassination could not be carried out due to a string of circumstances, Atilla Peker explained, but Korkut later told him they had, in fact, "taken care of the Cyprus issue.’’

Earlier on Tuesday, the Fethiye Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Turkey launched an investigation into the murder of Adalı, Yenidüzen newspaper reported.

 Police detained Peker’s brother on Monday in Turkey’s southwestern Muğla province in charge of the possession of an unlicensed gun. He was released on Tuesday, after his statement was taken by the police, Yenidüzen said.

Peker on Tuesday had said his brother wanted share details on the murder of Adalı, but the prosecutor’s office would not take his statement.

Benim kardeşim kutlu adalı olayını anlatıyor, neden ifadesine geçirmiyorsunuz? Samimi ihbarda bulunuyor, niye ifade kaydına geçirmiyorsunuz? @merdanyanardag @ismailsaymaz @kubrapc #AçıkveNetÖzel

— Sedat Peker (@sedat_peker) May 24, 2021