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| Europe |
| Gunman's former classmates claim he had police protection |
| 2006-05-24 |
| The gunman in the attack against the Council of State last Wednesday, Alparslan Arslan, is being described as a "cool-headed" brawler and troublemaker during his time at university by former classmates, who also claim he was protected by police. Speaking to the Anka news agency yesterday, Marmara University graduate Can Atalay said that Arslan's name was linked to a number of incidents while he was a student at the same university. Underlining that there were frequent fights and high tension in the years from 1996 to 1999, Atalay said that Arslan was a leading figure among ultranationalist students. Saying that Arslan managed to escape punishment despite getting in trouble a number of times, Atalay claimed that the police helped Arslan get out of the university following fracas, although he was usually wielding a cleaver in his hands. "It's clear what he's done since graduating from university. I believe that he was used by the police back then but the consequences have taken him to where he is today," said Atalay. An attorney who studied at Marmara University at the same time as Arslan but preferred not to be identified told the news agency that Arslan used to come to school wearing overcoats like those worn by mafia members and chain smoked. The attorney said that some attorneys who signed a joint statement following the attack have been getting threats. Claiming that he personally saw Arslan in a number of fights at the university, the attorney said that he used to wield hammers, sticks and cleavers in these fights. Stating that he was injured in one of these university conflicts, he added that he came across Arslan at the courthouse following their graduation and was assaulted by him again. "In fact I'm not surprised that he carried out the attack, these people were trained by certain circles and used by them during their university years as well as graduating even though they didn't attend their courses," said the attorney. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #5 he used to wield hammers, sticks and cleavers in these fights Hummm,... "cleaver" = large meat chopping hand tool, right? He sure took campus political debate very seriously, didn't he? |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-05-24 15:06 |
| #4 Sounds like he was being groomed as a hard boy from his school days. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-05-24 14:16 |
| #3 And, I think, official sponsorship. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-05-24 13:42 |
| #2 I think the jist of it is, Arslan has "issues"... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-05-24 13:32 |
| #1 I have no idea what these guys are talking about... |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-05-24 12:16 |