Radio Searched in MLKP Probe

An operation launched against the outlawed Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) organization on September 8 by the Istanbul counter-terrorism police force continued this Thursday with new search warrants enforced on a number of businesses including a well-known liberal radio station and offices of several leading Turkish unions.

Police teams conducted searches in offices of Ozgur Radyo [Free Radio], Laborer Womens Association, Science Education Esthetic Culture Research Foundation (BEKSAV), Dockyard Ship Building-Repairs Workers Union (Limter-Is) and Tekstil-Sen.

Among the premises searched were also various bureaus of the leftwing "Atilim" newspaper that was banned from print for a period of 15 days earlier this week as result of the ongoing crackdown.

The searches have been conducted under a September 20 warrant issued by the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court and counter-terror teams have been accompanied by officials of the security branch, the financial branch and a representative of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce during their search.

Radio Search

Following the previous detention and subsequent arrest of Ozgur Radyo Broadcast Coordinator Fusun Erdogan, police teams on Thursday set up control points on the street where the radio station is based and entered its offices to conduct the search.

The radio's news editor Halil Dinc was detained on grounds of an alleged search warrant and Sinan Gercek was placed under custody for being an executive of the company.

A statement made by the radio said "the police confiscated approximately 10 computer cases at our radio together with diaries, the telephone directory and private notes of those working here. Radio officials prevented the broadcast computers from being confiscated. Because of this the police copied the data off the broadcast computer containing music broadcast."

The radio, which was forced to stop its program after the police entered at 1700 was back on teir air at 0100.

Other places subject to search were he central and Kartal offices of "Atilim" newspaper and the Gunes Agency where its technical work is carried out, the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed (ESP) building and the Gulsuyu Art and Life Magazine premises.

Sources say around 30 people were detained in Istanbul alone, including Tekstil Sen chair Ayse Yumli Yeter who is the widow of unionists Suleyman Yeter who was tortured to death. But the operation itself is not confined to Istanbul and continues in other cities such as Kocaeli, Ankara and Izmir. (EO/II/YE)