Important update on story about Turkey shipping arms to the Islamic State

Readers of Vlad may remember that some months ago on May 29, 2015, a very important story broke in Turkish news, and we at VladTepeBlog were the first English speaking publication I am aware of, that translated and republished the story. Thanks to Shabnam, an expat Iranian human rights activist and others she knew in Turkey, we were able to get that story out I think the same day including the video at that site and more.

This update is to let readers know that as of 1 hour ago, approximately 14:30 EST, the author of the story in Hurriyenet Daily news was arrested by the Turkish government for that exact story.

Here is the video from that story. The Turkish original story has been removed but for those who want it, I backed up the entire page and might restore it.

Again, here is the link to our translation

 

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

5 Replies to “Important update on story about Turkey shipping arms to the Islamic State”

  1. Turkey: Journalists face life-imprisonment for ‘exposing Syria arms smuggling’

    The editor-in-chief of the Cumhuriyet daily, Can Dundar, and the newspaper’s Ankara representative Erdem Gul, arrived at Istanbul courthouse on Thursday morning to testify after being accused of membership of a terror organisation, espionage and revealing confidential documents. They face life imprisonment.

    • Uncle Vlad – anybody – it’s that evil Turk again!

      First my condolences and apology: I was really sorry watching those savages shoot at your boy as he dangled helplessly in his parachute. It gave them such pleasure, may they die screaming.

      We all know it couldn’t have been done without us, the USA, guiding the intercept.

      We gave that Turk precise routing info so he could ambush your SU-24. We operate the Ground-Control Interception (GCI) or Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEWCS) from NATO’s base in Incirlik. Thus the Turk was able to evade the onboard radar, intercept and bomb the bomber.

      This power-mad pygmy’s done awful stuff to Israel, its long-term ally. He even named names so the Mullahs could find the Israeli assets in flagrante with the Mrs. Mullahs.

      Killing Kurds – gassing them – terrible, terrible.

      He’s put the hiss in the IS, everybody knows that too. He opened the spigot so the Eurocrats could realize their totalitarian fantasies.

      Now he’s destroying the best of his own people. Our friends.
      You are so wise, kind sir. And so ingenious – Polonium tea, my goodness!

      Please stop this evil Turk. Thank-you,
      YankeeKafir

  2. Turkish journalists charged with spying over weapons report (BBC, Nov 26, 2015)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34939916

    “Two prominent Turkish journalists have been charged with espionage after alleging that Turkey’s secret services sent arms to Islamist rebels in Syria.

    Can Dundar, the editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet daily, and Erdem Gul, the paper’s Ankara bureau chief, face life imprisonment if found guilty.

    Their report and video footage attracted a political storm in Turkey and a lawsuit filed by the president.

    Turkey severe criticism over its press freedom record.

    The journalists, who deny the allegations against them, reported that trucks belonging to the Turkish intelligence agency MIT were used to carry weapons to Islamist opposition groups in Syria.

    Video footage published alongside their report purported to show Turkish police officers intercepting the trucks and discovering crates containing weapons and ammunition.

    They government claimed that the intelligence trucks were carrying aid to the Turkmen minority in Syria – a Turkic speaking ethnic group.

    President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally filed a lawsuit against the newspaper.

    “This paper has engaged in acts of espionage. Whoever wrote this story will pay a heavy price for this,” Mr Erdogan said on television in May.

    Both Mr Dundar and Mr Gul are accused of conducting espionage and aiding the Fethullah Gulen movement – which was previously a close ally of Mr Erdogan but is now considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey’s government.

    “They ask us why we published that story,” Mr Dundar said. “The history of journalism is full of such examples as Watergate or Wikileaks that show states would like to keep some facts secret. But it’s for common good to bring them to light.”

    The charges have been heavily criticised by press freedom groups.

    “This case will seriously damage Turkey’s pledge to carry out EU reforms and the promised standards of fundamental rights and freedoms,” said Erol Onderoglu from Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

    Turkey ranks 149th amongst the 180 countries in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index 2015.”