Why didn't Ayşe Ateş tell Erdoğan those two names?

Was there a “secret” that Sinan Ateş knew?..

For approximately 18 months, Turkey has been talking about the murder of former Ülkü Ocakları President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sinan Ateş, who was killed in the middle of Ankara as he was leaving Friday prayers.

While the indictment for the murder was prepared only after 15 months, the trial of 22 defendants was completed in 5 days. The prosecutor, who did not ask a single question to the defendants during the hearing, prepared his opinion on the merits in 14 days. After the defendants' defenses against this opinion are taken on September 30, the case will likely be concluded by mid-October at the latest, that is, in 3.5 months.

Will justice be served as a result of this jet-speed trial, which is rarely seen in the history of Turkish law?

Given that the family's outcry and search for justice continue; that even though the instigators, the hitman, and those who helped them have been found, the “political instigators” and the motive for the murder continue to be questioned; and furthermore, that there is talk of a separate file regarding 17 people, the answer is, of course, no.

The final point reached is well-known; 154 people who asked about and investigated the murder have been targeted. Moreover, this was done by the very mouth of MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli. Bahçeli, who pointed to a black-bound file as if to say “the whole lot is here” and announced that he would take action when the day comes, also noted that this action would be of a “legal nature,” as if the opposite were possible in a state of law.

It seems that further questioning or talking about this murder is not desired!..

Which MHP members' names did she give to Erdoğan?

During this fast but intense process, many questions formed in my mind. I finally had the opportunity to ask these to the grieving wife, Ayşe Ateş. She answered with complete sincerity.

What did I ask?

Ayşe Ateş, mother Samiye Ateş, and Sinan Ateş’s sisters Selma Ateş Kazancı and Sevda Ateş Yörükoğlu explained their complaints to the court as victims/complainants on July 4, the fourth day of the hearing.

Ayşe Ateş, saying “my final words,” revealed the names of two MHP Deputy Chairmen for the first time as follows:

“When the threats began, Sinan told me, ‘İzzet Ulvi Yönter and Semih Yalçın gave the order to kill me.’”

Mother Samiye Ateş said, “I am complaining about İzzet Ulvi Yönter, Semih Yalçın, Olcay Kılavuz, and Ahmet Yiğit Yıldırım. I want Devlet Bahçeli to find my son’s killers.”

While sister Selma Ateş Kazancı stated, “Ahmet Yiğit Yıldırım and Olcay Kılavuz already had a grudge when Sinan Ateş took office. İzzet Ulvi Yönter, Semih Yalçın, Olcay Kılavuz…,” Sevda Ateş Yörükoğlu emphasized that Doğukan Çep was only an instigator and Eray Özyağcı was only a hitman, and claimed, “My brother’s killers are inside the MHP.”

As is known, Ayşe Ateş had met with Erdoğan just 20 days before the trial began. The first thing I was curious about was whether Ateş had told Erdoğan the names of İzzet Ulvi Yönter and Semih Yalçın as well.

Ayşe Ateş said, “No, I didn’t. I only told him the names of Ahmet Yiğit Yıldırım and Olcay Kılavuz.”

When I asked for the reason, she replied, “I was afraid. And I thought the investigation would progress and the matter would reach those names too.”

The Legend in MHP Lobbies

Many allegations have been made regarding the motive for Sinan Ateş’s murder, primarily the drug trafficking in Mersin.

Recently, especially within the opposition wing of the MHP, there has been talk of a will regarding the successor of the late MHP leader Alparslan Türkeş.

He must have heard similar allegations as well; in an article titled “What is the political reason leading to the murder?” written on July 10, Mehmet Y. Yılmaz recalled Ayşe Ateş’s statement that “Sinan was offered a bag of money to quit politics” and pointed out the following:

“Doesn’t this make one think that Ateş was offered to take some of what he knew and leave, and when this offer was not accepted, his ‘ticket was punched’? Undoubtedly, both the MIT and police intelligence must know whether such a reckoning lies behind this murder. However, the cover-up of the murder and the desire to sweep it under the rug with a perfunctory trial also suggests that this information within the state could be useful for something else as information swept under the rug. This is information that would have a very high ballistic effect in politics if revealed. Therefore, it must be information that is thought to be more useful politically to be ‘used’ rather than revealed and held to account.”

I asked Ayşe Ateş about these rumors as well. Stating that Sinan Ateş did not hide anything from them, Ateş said, “Maybe there is; I don’t know, I haven’t heard. If there were, he would have definitely told me.”

Did he want to be MHP Chairman?

At the hearing on July 4, Ayşe Ateş recounted that Sinan Ateş had said, “Olcay Kılavuz and Ahmet Yiğit Yıldırım are looking for a killer to have me murdered, they are going door to door,” and mother Samiye Ateş had explained the following:

“One day he came with a bulletproof vest on his back. When I said, ‘My son, why are you wearing a bulletproof vest?’, he said, ‘Mother, they have marked me for death, they are going to assassinate me.’... They will explain to me why they killed my son... What was their reason for killing my son? Was it a lust for office?”

After reminding her of these, I asked Ayşe Ateş, “Well, when the late Sinan Ateş said these things, did you ask, ‘Why are they going to have you killed, what is the reason?’”

Ateş’s answer was as follows:

“I asked. It was thought that he would be a candidate for the MHP Chairmanship. He and his circle also wanted it. There was great favor.”

What did Bahçeli whisper in his ear?

Following this answer, based on sister Selma Ateş Kazancı’s statement at the hearing, “Sinan Ateş was brought to the Ülkü Ocakları Presidency in a hurry. Devlet Bey called Sinan and said, ‘My son, I need to talk to you.’ Nothing is hidden within our family. My brother would tell everything. Devlet Bey called, there is a word he said to Sinan. Let Devlet Bey say it himself. Sinan then resigned. He is the first person to resign. Character assassinations against Sinan Ateş began,” I asked, “Do you know what Devlet Bey said?”

Ayşe Ateş said that Bahçeli had told him, “My child; for the salvation of us all, for the good of us all, leave the post.”

When I asked, “Well, did you ask the reason why he was asked to leave the post?”, she explained that she had asked and that Sinan Ateş had given the following reply:

“You cannot ask the Chairman for a reason; you say, ‘As you command.’”

Is she considering politics?

In a post she made a few days after the hearing, Ayşe Ateş stated that she was not a political figure and noted the following:

“Until the day Sinan was murdered, I was a housewife whose profession was teaching. I had a life spent with my children at school in the morning and at home in the evening. When Sinan was murdered, I was offered a parliamentary seat, I did not accept it. Because I don’t understand politics. Let me and my children be given the freedom to live, that is enough. Let them give us justice, all the worldly goods can be theirs.”

I first asked Ayşe Ateş who had offered her a parliamentary seat. She said that she had received offers from the then-İYİ Party Chairman Meral Akşener and CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, but that she did not accept them so that it would not be said that “she is doing politics over her husband’s blood.”

When I asked what she thinks for the future, she explained the following:

“Whatever happened to us, it happened because of politics. I didn’t find it very right at that time. But if it goes on like this, I will have to think about it to contribute to a solution. They are leaving no other choice.”

Finally, I asked Ayşe Ateş about her meeting with CHP Chairman Özgür Özel a few days ago and her expectation regarding the establishment of a parliamentary research commission regarding the murder.

Ayşe Ateş said, “The flow of the waters may change and the establishment of such a commission may be accepted. I am as sure as I am of my own name that if there is a secret ballot, there will even be those from the MHP and the AK Party who will vote for it,” and then said that she might have a second meeting with Erdoğan in the near future.