Turkish Media: Greatest Attack on The State

Hurriyet: (Centrist)

Ozbilgin dies after armed attack on Council of State

Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, a member of the Council of State Chamber 2 who was shot in the head in this morning's armed attack against the Council of State, died in the hospital, Hacettepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Tuncalp Ozgen said. Ozbilgin underwent a surgery and was taken under intensive care at the Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Hospital earlier today.

Answering questions of reporters, Ozgen said that other four injured members of the Council of State are not in critical condition,and are recovering.

The attack occurred in the Council of State Chamber 2 during a committee meeting. Five judges, including Ozbilgin, were wounded in the attack. The gunman, who was identified as lawyer Alparslan Arslan from the Istanbul Bar, was detained and taken to the Anti-Terror Department for interrogation.

Crying "I am a soldier of Allah," 29 year old lawyer shoots and kills judge

The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court, had been the target of heavy criticism from the government two months ago, following a decision ordering the transfer of an elementary school teacher to a different school when it was revealed the teacher was wearing a "turban" or headscarf on her way back and forth from school.

Turkey's current law on headscarves includes a ban on the "turban" in public offices, including schools and government administrative positions. Yesterday morning in Ankara, judges from the Council of State were fired one, one being killed, by a lawyer declaring he was the "soldier of Allah," and that the bullets were punishment for the controversial decision on the teacher and her headscarf. In the end, 29 year old lawyer Alparslan Arslan wound up killing Council of State judge Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, and injuring 5 others, 2 of whom are reported to be in serious condition.

Used lawyer identity card to gain access

In the wake of yesterday's event at the Ankara court, it has been revealed that Arslan had entered the court building the day before the attacks, but had been scared away by security detail there when he was found trying to force the door to one of the judge's private rooms. Arslan then returned yesterday morning, carrying a Glock brand handgun, and was able to pass through security at the Council of State building without being searched, showing his identification card as a lawyer to gain access.

Exiting on the fifth floor of the building, Arslan told the secretary on duty, "I would like to speak with Mr. Ozbilgin please." When the secretary told him the judges were meeting in a room next door, Arslan turned towards the room, and despite efforts by the secretary to stop him, entered the room where he began firing on the group of 6 judges and one tea server.

"I worked on my own"

Running and screaming "Allahu ekbar," Arslan confronted a group of police at the front entrance to the building where he was captured, though not before receiving a bullet wound in the foot. In his first statement to police after being captured, Arslan told police "I delivered the punishment for the decision on the turban. I made my own decision to do so, and worked on my own."

Sabah (Centrist)

Judicial authorities take a negative attitude towards Erdoğan

When Prime Minister Erdoğan arrived at Council of State building after the event, none of the judicial authorities welcomed him. Erdoğan ordered Minister Çiçek and other security administrators to 'enlighten the event and give full information to public'.

"Solve this in an hour""

Erdoğan, defining the event as a conspiracy, ordered his staff to "solve the event in an hour if possible"

Prime Minister Erdoğan was having a meeting with the Prime minister of Finland Matti Vanhannen during the attack. Their meeting was interrupted many times while Erdoğan was being informed about the incident. When he arrived at the scene, none of the judicial authorities welcomed him. Erdoğan ordered his staff to solve the event in an hour and inform the public".

Zaman (Islamist)

PM Erdogan Pledges to Deal Severely with State Council Attackers

By Cihan News Agency

Published: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

zaman.com

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also condemned this morning's shooting at the State Council building in Ankara, saying that it will be dealt with severely.

Erdogan said that the outcome of the investigation should be awaited before giving any verdict on the reason for the attack and the motive of the gunman.

Five people were injured, two of them seriously, in the shooting which took place at the Turkish State Council building in Ankara at around ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, according to the statement from Ankara governor's office.

Erdogan warned that it would harmful to try to seek political gain from the incident, referring to the opposition Republican People Party (CHP).

The assailant, who has been named as Alparslan Aslan and who is thought to be a lawyer, entered the court deliberation room and opened fire on members of the court.

The assailant was detained by police and taken to the Ankara Cankaya Security Authority Headquarters. The suspect reportedly used a "Glock Gun" to carry out his attack.

Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer also denounced the attack, labeling it a "black stain" in the history of the Turkish Republic.

Ntvmsnbc

Turkey's leaders condemn attack on senior judges

The government was quick to distance itself from the attack, saying that it was wrong to link the shooting with decisions taken by the court that displeased Islamists, the AKP's main support base.

Senior Turkish leaders have combined to condemn the shooting of five judges of the country's Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court.

The shooting, which took place Wednesday morning, left two of the five victims in a serious condition in hospital. Initial reports said that the head of the Council of State's Second Chamber, Mustafa Birden, had been killed in the attack, though it was later confirmed that he had only been badly wounded.

According to police, the attack was carried out by a lawyer identified as Alparslan Aslan, a member of the Istanbul Bar Association.

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, himself a former judge, described the attack as a black stain on the history of the Republic.

"I condemn this ugly attack," Sezer said in a statement issued soon after the shooting. "Pressure and threats will not intimidate the Turkish judiciary, which will continue its constitutional duties bound to the secular and democratic Republic."

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned the attack, but rejected suggestions that it could be linked to his Justice and Development Party's

(AKP) espousal of greater rights for Islamists.

Police also revealed that the gunman had been under surveilence prior to the attack due to his alleged links with the radical Islamist group Hizbullah.

Deniz Baykal, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said that the attack had targeted Turkey's secular constitution as well as the Council of State.

"Turkey is being dragged toward a very dangerous place," Baykal said.