Aslı

It hit the agenda of last week like a bombshell.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued instructions for the statements of journalists Soner Yalçın, Ruşen Çakır, Yavuz Oğhan, Şaban Sevinç, Batuhan Çolak, and Aslı Aydıntaşbaş to be taken as part of an operation conducted into "financial" accusations against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB); five of them, with one exception, were taken to the Istanbul Police Department early in the morning.

The journalists were accused of "publicly disseminating false information" and "knowingly and willingly aiding a criminal organization."

They were questioned about their meetings with Murat Ongun and Emrah Bağdatlı, as well as allegations made by secret witnesses.

After hours spent in anxiety, they were released with a "foreign travel ban."

We all breathed a sigh of relief!

But not many people dug into the rest of it. We know that when it comes to İmamoğlu, the opposition in our country is not very pleased with journalists who have free minds and free consciences picking at these and similar situations.

They try to draw a moral boundary by saying, "The man is already inside and is a victim," so that we ignore the mistakes he makes in matters that concern all of our lives and futures at the end of the day.

Just as it is our duty to stand against the injustices done to İmamoğlu to the end, it is also our right to criticize his mistakes.

Let us leave our note for history.

Let us say, perhaps he will take note and not make the same mistakes again, and let us get to the point.

Our subject: Aslı Aydıntaşbaş.

Her name was on the list of journalists to be called for a statement by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, but she was nowhere to be found. It is said that she did not go to give a statement because she was in America.

Now let's rewind the tape a bit.

Approximately six months after İmamoğlu emerged victorious from the local elections, the 1st Ordinary General Assembly of the Istanbul City Council was held on October 18. Among its members were representatives of various non-governmental organizations, academics, and journalists.

However, when the list was reflected in the press the next day, we saw that Aslı Aydıntaşbaş had also become a member of the City Council.

Not many people brought the issue to the agenda or asked questions about it.

But afterwards, rumors that she had undertaken unofficial consultancy for İmamoğlu spread like wildfire.

According to the allegations, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş was in the background of the meetings he held with foreign mission chiefs and delegations visiting Turkey.

She was organizing unofficial contacts. She was the key name in critical meetings.

She was also doing his PR in America. In other words, we can think that they were in such a close relationship.

Afterwards, she appeared on Nevşin Mengü's program and said:

"We know that Erdoğan has no desire to retire from politics, nor is it possible to predict Turkey's dynamics from afar. However, the interest in Ekrem İmamoğlu is enormous. There was already interest, and now it has increased significantly, especially after his success in Istanbul. Clearly, leadership material is seen in İmamoğlu. He is someone who will play a role in Turkish politics. Naturally, there is enormous interest in Ekrem İmamoğlu."

She had delivered her message in one sentence.

It is known by everyone who knows these matters, near or far, that she is on extremely good terms with those in Washington.

It is possible to see her wherever there is American interest; for example, alongside Ahmed Chalabi, the President of the Iraqi National Congress and the CIA's trusted man during the process of toppling Saddam, and at the head of the Ankara Bureau of Sabah Newspaper in Turkey during the Ergenekon and Balyoz conspiracies!

She was an extremely useful name.

Let's rewind the tape a little further and share the remarkable sections of the article about Aslı Aydıntaşbaş written by my colleague Fatma Sibel Yüksek (who later became Gürcihan), the legendary Prime Ministry reporter of the time:

"She first made her name heard in the newspaper Yeni Yüzyıl, under the management of İsmet Berkan. She was a brilliant foreign policy reporter who wrote news, especially on Middle Eastern issues. She made numerous visits to Northern Iraq with her journalist identity. During these visits, she established closeness with Kurdish figures of the Middle East such as Barzani, Talabani, and Hoshyar Zebari. This closeness later carried her to the Ankara representation of Sabah newspaper."

"After Yeni Yüzyıl closed, Aydıntaşbaş moved to Sabah newspaper and was assigned as the Washington correspondent. She continued this duty until 2005. In the meantime, she also developed her relationships with important names of the US deep state. Another segment she was in contact with in the US was the new generation of pro-American 'boys' of the AKP, Cüneyt Zapsu and Egemen Bağış. Şaban Dişli, the Deputy Chairman in charge of Foreign Relations, who was a prestigious man within the AKP at that time and later lost this reputation due to a 1-million-dollar commission, was also in Aydıntaşbaş's close circle. (Ms. Aslı married businessman Ekin Alptekin in 2007. May they be happy. The wedding witness was Şaban Dişli, and the guest of honor at the wedding was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.)"

"With the high references and fervent support of these 'boys' in Tayyip Erdoğan's close circle, Aydıntaşbaş was brought to the Ankara representation of Sabah newspaper, which was in the hands of Turgay Ciner at the time. Ms. Aslı, who was presented to Prime Minister Erdoğan as 'someone who can provide our contact with important Americans,' was also marketed to Ciner, who wanted to enter some oil-mining businesses in the Middle East, as 'she has a very good relationship with Barzani and Talabani, she might be useful to you.'"

"And Aydıntaşbaş's 'golden age' in Ankara began. She started her duty in exchange for an astronomical salary, a private residence, a private driver, a luxury car, unlimited credit cards, etc. This lady, to whom great importance was attributed in her relationships, suddenly became the crown jewel of the political elite. Everyone who wanted to get into the Prime Minister's good graces tried to make themselves liked by her, and there was pushing and shoving around her. She was the most sparkling face of Papermoon. Ministers, bureaucrats, and high-level advisors were revolving around her. In a short time, she became one of Erdoğan's favorite journalists. With the effect of her petite stature, she became the 'charm charm' of the politics and bureaucracy aristocracy. For some, she was also a bright path to power, a goddess difficult to reach. Especially those who tried to stay close to Prime Minister Erdoğan ran after Ms. Aslı. For this cause, even among the Prime Minister's advisors, backstabbing took place, and a race to be intimate with Aslı began."

Human memory is said to be flawed, but we have not yet forgotten that period. It is our journalistic duty to remind people of these things.

Let's come to the period when the backbone of the Turkish Armed Forces was broken with the Ergenekon and Balyoz conspiracies.

We see Aslı Aydıntaşbaş in the lead role during this period as well.

Let's continue from Fatma Sibel Yüksek's article:

"She is the journalist who first wrote that there was a secret structure called 'Ergenekon' within the state. The original of the document used to accuse many people today first appeared with her. Doğu Perinçek, who stated that he heard the name of such an organization for the first time upon Aslı Aydıntaşbaş calling him to ask about it, requested that Aydıntaşbaş be heard as a witness at the court in Silivri. If I remember correctly, the court made a decision in the form of 'to be considered if deemed necessary in the advancing stages' regarding this matter."

There are incredible details in the article. Especially the relationships Aslı Aydıntaşbaş established with soldiers at that time are extremely remarkable.

Those who are curious can access the full text of this article at www.acikistihbarat.com.

This is the past of Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, who was made a member of the City Council with İmamoğlu's approval and later carried out critical work behind the scenes as an unofficial consultant.

Let's stop here for a moment, take a breath, and ask:

Why did İmamoğlu take Aslı Aydıntaşbaş into his close circle?

Did he not know who she was or whom she served?

Let's leave the "consultancy" story aside, but was he not aware of how even having her name mentioned in the same sentence as someone with such dark relationships could put him in a difficult situation?

When there were so many sensible retired diplomats and university professors, what kind of gem did he see in Aslı Aydıntaşbaş?

Was there no one to warn him about this matter?

In short; did he never think that he would cast a shadow over the hearts of millions who pinned their hopes on him by expecting help from people who had a share in the country coming to this state?

We do not know the answers to these questions.

Nor do we know what logic led to such decisions... Let those who understand and know come forward.

But it is a fact that CHP members have a weakness for the hit-woman figures of the government.

Özgür Özel calling Buket Aydın after being elected Chairman and waiting for a "well done," İmamoğlu taking Nagehan Alçı, who has become a complete object of hatred for the opposition segment, on his Black Sea trip, and the Aslı Aydıntaşbaş issue...

As we conclude the article, let's underline it with a thick pen:

The credit of the people of our country for İmamoğlu has not run out. Their support for him remains, but he should also know that this will not last forever; he should measure the steps he will take and the statements he will make with the precision of a jeweler's scale.