Assassination of Russian ambassador was not killer’s ‘own initiative’ – Turkish Interior Minister — RT News

Karlov was shot lifeless as he was delivering a speech on the opening of an exhibition referred to as ‘Russia within the Eyes of Turks’ at an artwork gallery in Ankara on Monday. The gunman, who was killed on the scene, was recognized as 22-year-old Mevlut Altintas, a member of Ankara’s riot police drive.

Russian and Turkish groups are actually working in Ankara in makes an attempt to determine the small print of Karlov’s assassination.

Earlier, the highest ranges of the Turkish management rushed to accuse the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) of being behind Karlov’s assassination in an obvious bid to sever Russia-Turkey ties. However, it’s too early to leap to any conclusions but, as Russia’s aim is to “discover the reality, not use the incident for some political achieve,” the pinnacle of Russia’s Upper House International Relations Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, informed RT earlier. 

American primarily based cleric Fethullah Gulen and his FETO group stand accused by Ankara of staging the failed July 15 coup. The Turkish authorities claims it continues to infiltrate Turkish establishments, specifically the navy, police and judiciary, to kind what Ankara calls a “parallel state.”

On Saturday, Suleyman Soylu, Turkey’s inside minister, as soon as once more reiterated a speculation that Altintas was linked to FETO.

“At this stage, now we have clearly outlined a relationship with the terrorist Fethullah Gulen motion. The assassination was not the results of particular person initiative. The terrorist assault was deliberate,” Soylu stated, Anadolu reported.

The investigators, the minister added, are attempting to determine Altintas’ hyperlinks to terrorist organizations each inside and past Turkey. The probe, Soylu stated, already unearthed “essential” particulars of the assault, however at this level the Turkish facet determined to not share it with the general public.

The minister did categorical hope that Turkish-Russian relations wouldn’t be tarnished by the tragedy as he expressed his condolences to Karlov’s household.

The Russian workforce of investigators which is now working in Turkey are but to make any definitive feedback in regards to the murderer’s affiliations or motives.

Earlier this week Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that in a raid on Altintas’ dwelling “police … discovered books associated to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) and Al-Qaeda.”

The murderer’s father Israfil Altintas, famous on Friday that his son’s habits began altering after he turned pals with a person recognized as Sercan B, who the killer met at a police academy.

“As far as I do know, he was not a member of any terrorist group, non secular community or group,” Israfil Altintas informed police, in keeping with Turkish broadcaster Haberturk.

“However, he began turning into targeted on his prayers, extra introverted and silent after he turned a policeman,” the daddy famous, claiming that previous to becoming a member of the police drive the 22-year-old was not likely non secular.

After Karlov’s loss of life, the Pennsylvania-based cleric categorically denied involvement within the assassination. He explicitly stated that Mevlut Altintas was not a member of FETO, as Gulen expressed condolences to Karlov’s household.

“It is clear that he has nothing to do with the motion up to now and the current,” Gulen stated in a video posted on YouTube.

The Alliance for Shared Values (AfSV) a New York-based nonprofit umbrella group and main a part of the Gulen motion additionally issued an announcement denying “Turkish authorities officers’ allegations attempting to hyperlink the murderer of Russian ambassador to Turkey with Mr. Gulen or [the] Hizmet motion.”

“While the assertion is improper and irresponsible, it’s not surprising since Mr. Erdogan blames Mr. Gulen for any and all hurt that besets Turkey,” the assertion learn.