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German expert threatened in Yazıcıoğlu probe, BBP's Yıldırım claims
BBP Deputy Chairman Recep Yıldırım claimed that German expert Uwe Reibel, invited to Turkey to investigate the helicopter crash that killed Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu in 2009, was threatened and forced to withdraw from the case.
As the new investigation into the helicopter crash that killed former Great Unity Party (BBP) Chairman Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu in 2009 continues, BBP Deputy Chairman for European Turks and Chief Advisor Recep Yıldırım made new allegations about the Yazıcıoğlu case in an interview with İHA.
Yıldırım stated that March 25, 2009, is a date that will not be forgotten not only for Turkey but also for the Turkish world, and that the helicopter crash in which Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu lost his life must be fully clarified.
Yıldırım recalled that after the crash, German accident investigator Uwe Reibel was invited to Turkey to provide technical support to the official accident investigation board formed by the then Ministry of Transport and to help examine the incident from a different perspective.
Yıldırım said that Reibel was planned to work with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the official accident investigation board in Turkey, conduct on-site examinations, and submit his technical assessment to the relevant authorities.
However, Yıldırım claimed that the process did not proceed as expected, and that the German expert's on-site examinations were limited and he was not allowed to conduct a comprehensive technical inspection of the helicopter.
Yıldırım stated that after the German expert's on-site work, he held a meeting lasting about four hours with officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the then official accident investigation board in Ankara, and described what happened after the meeting as 'one of the biggest question marks in the case file.'
What was said in the four-hour meeting?
Yıldırım claimed that after the meeting, German expert Reibel withdrew from the case, saying "I am not dealing with this. I am not interested in this matter," and wanted to leave Turkey. "What was said to him in that four-hour meeting that made him announce he would not be involved in any work on this matter? This is one of the biggest question marks for us," he said. He stated that after leaving Turkey, the German expert cut off communication with various people, including themselves. Yıldırım said they tried to reach him by phone about 22 times, and when they finally did, he told them, "I don't want to discuss this issue with you."
Yıldırım also said that a letter sent to the German expert in 2014 went unanswered.
Noting that Reibel has companies operating in Baden-Baden, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, and holds international accident investigation authority, Yıldırım argued that Reibel could be critically important for shedding light on the case.
He was not allowed to share his technical findings
Yıldırım also made statements about the then official accident investigation board in Turkey, claiming that some members of the board had themselves stated that they did not have international accident investigation authority.
Claiming that the German expert, whom he described as having international authority, was obstructed, Yıldırım said, "He was also not allowed to share his technical examinations with the board in Turkey. The biggest question mark in our minds is what was said to this expert at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation."
Yıldırım stated that after the German expert's on-site examinations, he met with then officials at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in Ankara, and that Feridun Serim, a then civil aviation official, was also present at the meeting.
Yıldırım claimed that after the meeting, the German expert left Turkey after preparing only a brief assessment of two or three lines, and that the expected comprehensive technical report was not prepared. He called for the expert to be re-interviewed.
Should be re-interviewed through official channels
Assessing recent developments in the Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu case, Yıldırım said that the gathering of case files and reports from different courts in Ankara was an important development. Stating that this is promising for the investigation to be comprehensively re-examined, Yıldırım said that the German expert Reibel must definitely be re-interviewed.
Yıldırım stated that if legal mechanisms between states are activated, the expert in question should be officially invited to Turkey. If this is not possible, he argued that an official delegation including prosecutors could go to Germany to consult the expert, which could make a significant contribution to the case.
We think he was threatened and intimidated
Answering the question whether the German expert Reibel was threatened, Yıldırım stated that this was his own assessment, saying, "In our opinion, yes. We think he was threatened and intimidated. That is why we believe he withdrew from the case."
We have believed from day one that this was an assassination
Reiterating his view that Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu's death was not an accident, Yıldırım said that his conviction has not changed since March 25, 2009, stating, "We have believed from day one that this was an assassination. Recent developments further strengthen this claim."
Yıldırım said that the questions of why the expert from Germany was prevented from working, why he left Turkey, and why he later cut communication must be answered.
This is a matter above politics
Reiterating that the assessments of an independent expert with international authority could contribute significantly to the current investigation, Yıldırım noted that re-interviewing the German expert through official channels is of great importance for shedding light on the case.
Calling for Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu's name not to be made a subject of political debate, Yıldırım said, "This is a matter above politics. Let whoever knows something assist the state and the court. Do not use Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu's name as political material."
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