A MASSIVE operation in Soke today (TUES) has led to the arrest of two suspected members of the leftist armed group Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front DHKP-C on suspicion of plotting suicide bomb attacks and one wanted for the 1996 murder of Turkish businessman Ozdemir Sabanci.
Media reports said Ismail Akkol and Fadik Adiyaman were detained at Soke Bus Station. It was alleged they had travelled illegally from Greece through Didim yesterday (MON) and onwards by local bus to Soke station this morning.
There, the couple were detained on suspicion of planning suicide bomb attacks.
Police seized RPG7 rocket launchers, 2 dispatch flares, 2 rounds of rocket launchers, three hand grenades, three pistols, 132 bullets for this pistol, 4 magazines, 100 gr. explosives and various materials
Weapons seized in today’s operation
The two suspects were identified as Fadik Adıyaman and İsmail Akkol, and the latter is a suspect in the Sabancı assassination case, according to a statement issued by the Aydın Police Department.
Adıyaman and Akkol were caught while they were about to head to the neighboring İzmir province from the Söke bus terminal. A Kalashnikov rifle, a hand grenade, bombing material, and ammunition were also seized in the luggage of the two suspects.
From a number of sources, it’s been suggested they hid out in Didim overnight before travelling this morning (TUES) on to Soke.
According to information provided by the minibus driver, he said that they never spoke and they were uneasy.
A Voices reader, wanting to remain anonymous, told the paper: “While we were in Soke today the centre roads were closed due to what they believe to be two terrorists. They were caught at Soke bus garage.
“There were traffic stops on the road from Soke to Didim at every turn towards Didim, where the cops seemed to be checking the buses and large vehicles. Something was being done.”
One of two suspects emerges for a court appearance today
Özdemir Sabancı was gunned down on January 9, 1996 in his office in the strongly-guarded Sabancı Towers in Levent, İstanbulalong with the general manager of ToyotaSA and a secretary by assassins hired by the leftist armed group DHKP-C.
They had been given access to the building by Fehriye Erdal, a female member of DHKP-C, who was an employee at that time.
Recently released information has suggested that the assassination of Özdemir Sabancı’s assassin Mustafa Duyar was planned by retired general Veli Küçük, who was detained in the Ergenekon investigation.
Greek police had detained four suspects, including DHKP-C leader Hüseyin Fevzi Tekin and Akkol, on Feb. 10, 2014 during an operation on residences in the Gizi neighborhood of Athens.
According to Greek media reports, Akkol confessed in his interrogation that the weapons found in their Gizi house were bought to be used in attacks on Turkish territory.
Akkol was later released by a local court, although Turkish authorities had demanded his extradition for his alleged involvement in the murder of businessman Özdemir Sabancı in 1996.