29 Mar 2024
Thursday 7 April 2016 - 17:32
Story Code : 208441

Turkish MP accused of terrorism for revealing Daesh's source of sarin gas

Turkish MP accused of terrorism for revealing Daesh
Eren Erdem, from Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), who revealed that Daesh terrorists had obtained sarin gas supplies through Turkish territory, now faces terrorism charges in his country; the lawmaker says that the accusations are based on some secret witness statements without any documentary evidence.

Eren Erdem, the deputy ofTurkey's CHP political party, who is also an investigative journalist, now faces terrorism charges inhis own country.

The Turkish government has submitted a motion toremove Erdems parliamentary immunity opening upErdem toa possible lifetime inprison for terrorism links.

Sputnik Turkey got intouch withthe Turkish lawmaker regarding the investigation inthe Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) againsthim.

Erdem explained the reasons behindthe charges toSputnik, calling the investigation yet another conspiracy againsthim.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="733"]Eren Erdem Eren Erdem[/caption]

They have launched an investigation intome forbeing a member ofthe parallel structure which is a nondescript and ambiguous terrorist organization, the lawmaker says.

This investigation is based on secret witness statements. There is no documentary evidence exceptthis secret witness. So, who is the secret witness? he wonders.

Let me explain; the owner ofthe newspaper that I manage was sunk due tosome news aboutcorruption. This witness sent me some messages viawhatsapp and said that the government is offering me money, withErdogans consent, that they promise towrite offmy tax debt, if I sign a statement that they want.

Erdem says there are two reasons behindthe accusations.

One ofthe reasons is my strong opposition toErdogans policy, especially the Sarraf case inthe US which is related toErdogan and his ministers corruption. Two years ago, I was the only journalist who studied the money trail betweenSarraf and politicians inTurkey. The government tried todestroy everything (documents, proof) associated withthese relationships.

The lawmaker refers tothe case ofReza Zarrab, also known bythe name Riza Sarraf, a Turkish gold trader who was atthe center ofa corruption scandal that engulfed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his inner circle.

Back in2013 Sarraf was accused ofbribing senior ministers fromTurkeys ruling party withcash and lavish gifts aspart ofa scheme tobypass US sanctions onIran.

He was arrested inMiami and charged withlaundering millions ofdollars aspart ofa scheme tohelp the Iranian government evade economic sanctions.

In response tothe scandal, Erdogan turned Turkeys bureaucracy upside-down, dismissing thousands ofstate employees, police officers and prosecutors, withmany sent tojail.

He also labeled a group offormer allies he blamed forthe accusations, the Gulen religious movement, a terrorist organization.

Another reason is my revelation aboutthe deadly sarin gas allegation. Due tomy investigation intothe sarin gas issue, Erdogan and his government have been hell-bent onrevenge fora long time, Erdem continues.

In December 2015 Erdem told RT news channel that Daesh terrorists had obtained sarin gas supplies throughTurkish territory and that Ankara did nothing despitehaving all the evidence inhand.

What Erdem actually revealed inan interview withRT were the details froma criminal case opened, and then abruptly closed, bythe General Prosecutors Office inthe Turkish city ofAdana.

His account alleges that Turkish authorities had acquired a great deal ofevidence concerning sarin gas shipments tomilitants inSyria that later became Daesh (formerly ISIS/ISIL), butdid nothing tostop them.

The lawmaker noted that materials formaking chemical weapon were brought toTurkey and mixed inDaesh camps inSyria.

The indictment stated that the chemical weapon components originated fromvarious European countries and were tobe seamlessly shipped viaa specific route throughTurkey tomilitant labs inSyria.

Despite the detailed evidence available, the 13 suspects arrested inraids inconnection withthe plot were released and the case was closed afterjust a week.

Shortly afterhis revelations Erdem was accused oftreason withRecep Tayyip Erdogan then raging atthe silence ofthe Republican Peoples Party (CHP) concerning Erdems revelations.

There is a deputy inthis country, buried so deep ina pit ofbetrayal, and toa party that claims tobe asold asthe republic saying duringan interview toa foreign television channel that Turkey is selling chemical weapons toterrorists, Erdogan then told a crowd inthe city ofKonya.

By Sputnik News
https://theiranproject.com/vdci5varzt1au52.ilct.html
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