Ayhan Bora Kaplan's striking 'July 15' and 'TRT' defense: 'I cannot say where I found the July 15 weapons'

Müyesser YILDIZ-12punto.com.tr

The trial of Ayhan Bora Kaplan, who is alleged to be the leader of a criminal organization, continued.

The session of the case held today by the Ankara 32nd High Criminal Court at the courtroom inside the Sincan Prison complex began with a 45-minute delay, despite the Court President's statement yesterday that "We will start the hearings at 09:00."

After the panel took their seats, the President began taking the defense of the number 1 defendant by saying, "Bora Kaplan, come forward."

Kaplan began his defense as follows:

"I do not accept any of the accusations. I am in a state of astonishment in the face of the slanders made over the last 7-8 months. It was said that I was caught while fleeing. Would a person who is going to flee buy a scheduled plane ticket two days in advance? Are they an idiot? Would a man who is going to flee go with his own passport and his own car?"

Claiming that his detention by being forced to the ground was purely for show and that he was subjected to mistreatment while in custody, Kaplan alleged, "The police are here. In rooms and corridors without cameras, they handcuffed our hands behind our backs and forced us to our knees. Police officers coming and going would kick me and say, 'Hey, are you Bora Kaplan?'"

THEY ASKED ABOUT THE SÜLEYMAN SOYLU ERA

Explaining that in the interviews during his interrogation, he was asked to provide information about the Süleyman Soylu era and certain police officers, Kaplan continued:

"They took me for interviews many times. Finally, they brought something 7-8 pages long. They told me that if I accepted these, I would only be referred for the Erkan Doğan accusation and would serve at most 1 year in prison. I looked at it; they were things beyond imagination, names I didn't know. When I stated that I would not sign, they said, 'It's up to you,' 'If we don't pin three murders on you,' 'If I don't burn anyone who greets you.' How can I slander people? My final statement lasted 8-10 hours. They gave me a list of 40-50 people and asked if I knew them. When I said who I knew, they said, 'Ooo, you are admitting it's an organization.' I replied, 'No, I am just saying who I know.' I do not completely reject my statements, but they have been tampered with."

MORE THAN THE FETÖ CONSPIRACY

When Bora Kaplan said, "We have fallen into a bigger conspiracy than what the FETÖ members did," the Court President asked, "Why would they conspire against you?" After answering, "I will come to that. I will explain it one by one, and you will reach a conclusion," Kaplan described how he acquired which venues in Ankara and how he withdrew from the entertainment sector as a result of police pressure.

THE WEAPONS ON JULY 15

While explaining the reasons for Erkan Doğan's statements against him, Bora Kaplan said, "He might have thought I was a criminal because of my photos from July 15," which led to the following remarkable dialogue:

President: You don't have a criminal expression in the July 15 photo.

Bora Kaplan: If I don't have a criminal expression, why did the police ask me about that photo?

President: Could they be Kalashnikovs, long-barreled weapons?

Bora Kaplan: I was expected to accuse state units.

President: Where did you find those long-barreled weapons?

Bora Kaplan: I cannot say here. I will tell you privately. Apparently, what we say here ends up on the internet moment by moment. What happens if this ends up there too? Let's go to the back, and I will tell you. Otherwise, it will spread everywhere.

THE TRT PHOTO IS THE MISTAKE OF MY LIFE

While answering some of the accusations directed at him, Bora Kaplan once again touched upon the July 15 coup attempt and said:

"We also learned that July 15 was happening from TV and social media. Upon the call of our President, I did more than my part. Perhaps the reason I am here is this."

"After performing two rak'ahs of prayer and saying goodbye to my family, I gathered everyone I could and called them. We went out, I went to TRT. After this place was taken back from the soldiers, pictures were being taken at the door. They called me too. I entered that frame so that if I became a martyr, it would be a memento for my children; I made the mistake of my life. After that night, I was practically cursed. The media and FETÖ members made broadcasts saying, 'The Reis's secret army, SADAT, Süleyman Soylu's army,' in a way that 'let something happen to him, no matter what.' The so-called journalists and politicians here also supported them. These go back to that time. I am someone who struggles for the homeland and the nation."

"I am originally from Karayazı, Erzurum. Karayazı... If I say it now, it will be a headline tonight, so I won't say it. That so-called journalist named Cevheri Güven will definitely bash me tonight. Because someone from here is messaging him. We are the state, so how do these people reach that FETÖ member? They are still among us. How will we get out of this?"

In the final part of his defense, Bora Kaplan accused former Ankara Police Chief Servet Yılmaz while explaining why both the police during the Süleyman Soylu era and those who came after him pressured him and set up this "conspiracy."

Kaplan summarized his allegations as follows:

"My name started to be mentioned together with Süleyman Soylu. Yet, I don't even know the man. As soon as his team took office, they started attacking me to show that I had no connection with the Minister. Even though I sold the bars, they continued the pressure. They forced me to the ground during a traffic stop. Commissioner Onur said, 'Chief Servet has strict orders; you will not leave the house until further notice.' I said I had work to do. He said, 'I don't know.' I had a contact number for the police, I called and said, 'Arrest me, or I will file a complaint.' They said they would talk to the Chief and call back. Then they said, 'Okay, we talked, send your location wherever you go from the house.' I sent my location every day. Wherever I went, they would come and sit three tables away. They would conduct checks everywhere I entered and cause trouble. Such harassment continued. After they beat me for distributing aid during Ramadan, they took me to the Organized Crime Bureau and brought me before Chief Volkan Kaşıkçı. He said, 'Chief Servet says he cannot distribute aid.' Another day, they reported that Chief Servet had given orders for me to leave Ankara. Out of fear of them, I went to İzmir for 2 months."

"I put cameras in my house, my office, and my car, fearing they would cause other trouble for me. Would a criminal organization do this? They took those too. Every year, I send a group to Umrah. Once, the police took me from my house to a construction site with reverse handcuffs and beat me. They said, 'Chief Servet says, how can he send a group without informing us?'"

"I sent them my location until the new team arrived. The day Süleyman Soylu left, I said, 'Thank God I'm saved,' but someone worse came. After July 15, FETÖ members targeted me. Then, because I was known as Süleyman Soylu's man, his team attacked to clear Soylu's name. The new team also fell into the trap of FETÖ members by saying, 'Ah, Soylu's man.' We couldn't please anyone."

News Source: Müyesser Yıldız