Levent Ersöz

Levent Ersöz (born 19 April 1954) is a former Turkey brigadier general in the Turkish Gendarmerie, who was head of the Gendarmerie's JITEM intelligence department.[2] He was considered a key defendant in the Ergenekon trials, and on 5 August 2013 was sentenced to 22 years and six months.[3][4] He was released on 11 March 2014.[5] A trial charging Ersöz with the death of Turkish President Turgut Özal in 1993 began in September 2013.[6] Ersöz was found innocent and received an amnesty in March 2016.[7]

Levent Ersöz
Born (1954-04-19) April 19, 1954[1]
AllegianceTurkey
Service/branchTurkish Army
Years of service1975-2005
RankBrigadier general
UnitGendarmerie

Prosecutors have accused Ersöz of being behind the 2001 assassination of Diyarbakır Police Chief Gaffar Okkan and a 2006 attack on Faruk Çelik,[8] and of having had a role in the 1993 death of President Turgut Özal.[9] The prosecution has shown a video of Ersöz talking to Bedrettin Dalan in 2004, saying "You are number three. Why don't you go out and talk like you're number one."[10] Police searching Ersöz' home had found nearly 2500 recordings of conversations.[10]

Prosecutors have charged a hitman with a December 2009 attempt on Ersöz' life, describing it as an attempt to silence Ersöz.[11] Shots were fired into the ceiling during a confrontation between the would-be assassin and gendarmes guarding Ersöz' room.[12]

A suspect in the Ergenekon trials told prosecutors that Ersöz was his instructor in TUSHAD.[13]

References
  1. Ergenekon indictments
  2. Today's Zaman, 15 January 2009, Fugitive former general Ersöz escapes police raid Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Today's Zaman, 5 August 2013, Long sentences for Ergenekon suspects, life for ex-army chief Archived 2013-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Hurriyet Daily News, 5 August 2013, 17 sentenced to life in Turkey's Ergenekon coup plot trial, including ex-military chief
  5. "Veli Küçük ve Levent Ersöz için de tahliye kararı". 11 March 2014.
  6. Today's Zaman, 11 September 2013, Trial into suspicious death of late president Özal begins Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Turgut Özal'ın ölümü davasında Ersöz'ün beraatine onama".
  8. Today's Zaman, 22 August 2009, Ergenekon suspect Levent Ersöz behind Okkan, Çelik attacks Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Today's Zaman, 16 April 2013, Court accepts indictment seeking life for Ersöz over Özal's death Archived 2013-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Today's Zaman, 1 May 2009, Dalan was Ergenekon’s number three, says prosecution Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Today's Zaman, 3 November 2010, Ergenekon attempted to kill Levent Ersöz to silence him Archived 2011-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Today's Zaman, 14 January 2010, Probe into Ersöz assassination attempt deepens Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Today's Zaman, 18 October 2012, Zirve massacre suspect: Ergenekon's armed wing still active Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.