Turkish militant escapes arrest in Belgium
ISN SECURITY WATCH (Wednesday, 1 March: 15.35 CET) – Convicted member of banned Turkish Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) Fehriye Erdal has disappeared only hours after being sentenced to four years in prison.
A Belgian court sentenced Erdal to four years in prison late on Tuesday for membership in a criminal organization. Erdal was sentenced along with ten others.
However, later on Tuesday, when police turned up at Erdal’s home to arrest her, she was not there, news agencies reported.
Much suspicion has surrounded the case, as police and intelligence services had Erdal’s house under 24-hour surveillance.
Some Turkish media reports suggested that Erdal had fled Belgium, and Belgian officials said she would be sought internationally.
Four of the defendants in the case were acquitted by the court in Bruges, while the other six received sentences ranging from four to six years for possession of illegal weapons and false documents.
Erdal was arrested in 1999, but Belgium refused to extradite her because at that time the death penalty was still in force in Turkey.
The EU has blacklisted the DHKP-C as a terrorist organization.
Erdal is also wanted in Turkey for her alleged role in the assassination of a prominent Turkish businessman, Ozdemir Sabanci.
The DHKP-C is seeking to overthrow the current Turkish government and has already claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Turkey.
They claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in 2001 that killed three Istanbul policemen and an Australian woman.
A Belgian court sentenced Erdal to four years in prison late on Tuesday for membership in a criminal organization. Erdal was sentenced along with ten others.
However, later on Tuesday, when police turned up at Erdal’s home to arrest her, she was not there, news agencies reported.
Much suspicion has surrounded the case, as police and intelligence services had Erdal’s house under 24-hour surveillance.
Some Turkish media reports suggested that Erdal had fled Belgium, and Belgian officials said she would be sought internationally.
Four of the defendants in the case were acquitted by the court in Bruges, while the other six received sentences ranging from four to six years for possession of illegal weapons and false documents.
Erdal was arrested in 1999, but Belgium refused to extradite her because at that time the death penalty was still in force in Turkey.
The EU has blacklisted the DHKP-C as a terrorist organization.
Erdal is also wanted in Turkey for her alleged role in the assassination of a prominent Turkish businessman, Ozdemir Sabanci.
The DHKP-C is seeking to overthrow the current Turkish government and has already claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Turkey.
They claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in 2001 that killed three Istanbul policemen and an Australian woman.
posted by Marko at 3/01/2006 08:33:00 AM
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