Best Man Testifies for Molotov Cocktail Attack Defendant

Turkish actor Şafak Sezer was heard as a witness in the case concerning the Molotov cocktail attack on a building of nation-wide Cumhuriyet newspaper in Istanbul on 29 March 2008. The hearing at the Istanbul 12^th High Criminal Court on 9 December was also attended by detained defendants Bayram Demir, Seyhun Zayim, Boğaç Kaan Murathan, Bora Ballı, Fatih Derdiyok, Murat Aplak and Bedirhan Şinal as well as un-detained defendant O.A.

Cinema actor Şafak Sezer was heard together with Hüseyin Kaya and Oğuz Alparslan Abkülkadir upon the request of defendant Boğaç Kaan Murathan's lawyer.

Sezer: Friends since 1998

Şafak Sezer stated that he has been close friends with defendant Murathan since 1998, "Murathan stayed as a guest in my house in Antalya after he had been released from prison in March. He and his wife came to my house because I was their best man when they got married in prison", Sezer said.

Sezer informed the court that he talked to Murathan on the phone after he had been released and came to Antalya, "He was singing folk songs to me on the phone. He stayed with me for 10 days". Sezer added that he had also met defendant Seyhun Zayim once when he visited Murathan in prison.

The court decided to keep the defendants in detention.

Indictment: Instructions from Murathan

In the indictment it is claimed that the instruction for the Molotov cocktail attack on Cumhuriyet newspaper was given by Boğaç Kaan Murathan who apparently was close to Sedat Peker, one of the un-detained defendants of the Ergenekon Case.

Defining the action as a "crime with the intention of terror", detained defendant Bedirhan Şinal faces prison sentence between 16 years 3 months and 42 years under charges of "assistance to a terror organization", "deliberately endangering public security", "unauthorized keeping and handling of dangerous substances" and "opposition to the Act on Firearms". For Murathan and the other defendants prison sentences between 8 years 3 months and 37 years 6 months have been demanded. (EÖ/VK)