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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran Implicated In Murder Of Turkish Intellectuals |
| 2005-12-19 |
| Ankara, 19 Dec. (AKI) - An Ankara court has accused the Iranian government of supporting Islamic extremists in Turkey in plotting the murder of several secular Turkish intellectuals includng a well-known liberal journalist and three university professors. The main suspect in the case Farhan Osman was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment while the court handed out sentences ranging from 9 to 15 years to the other 11 defendants. "The Islamic Republic in its efforts to export the ideology on which it is founded, has contributed decisively to the birth of small extremist Islamic Turkish groups that planned and carried out the attacks against the secular intellectuals," section 11 of the Ankara tribunal said in its ruling. Iran persuaded the extremist groups to murder Istanbul journalist, Ogur Mumcu, academics Ahmet Taner Kislali, Moamer Aksavi and Bahriye Ocuk - all of whom were known for their secular opinions and their stance against religious fundamentalism, the ruling said. Groups calling themselves the Army of al Quds (Jerusalem), Touhid and Salam had claimed responsibility for the murders. According to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Ankara government officials refused to comment on Monday's ruling that came five years after the case began. In Tehran, Iranian officials said they were "not aware" of any information relating to the case. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 very interesting |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-12-19 16:13 |