Exhumation decision in Kaşif Kozinoğlu investigation: Defense notes emerge

New developments have occurred in the investigation into the death of Kaşif Kozinoğlu, the MİT Asia Regional Chief Consultant who died under suspicious circumstances while imprisoned in Silivri Prison as part of a FETÖ conspiracy.

An important decision has been made within the scope of the investigation, which is being conducted to examine the question marks that have remained on the agenda despite the years that have passed since Kozinoğlu's death.

Kozinoğlu's grave will be opened

In an operation carried out recently regarding Kozinoğlu's death, 10 suspects were detained, excluding the fugitive guard Ferhat Veysi Gül.

In the investigation conducted by Silivri Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Ebubekir Efe, it was decided to open Kaşif Kozinoğlu's grave and perform an exhumation.

It was stated that tissue samples would be taken from the grave as part of the procedure to be carried out in the coming days. It was learned that these samples would be used to investigate whether Kozinoğlu was given a different medication while in prison.

It was also reported that a detailed toxicological and chemical examination would be conducted regarding the Coraspin and vitamin pills that Kozinoğlu had requested shortly before his death.

Allegations that the examinations during the autopsy process regarding the vitamin medication requested from the prison administration were not sufficiently comprehensive, as well as claims regarding a mysterious email allegedly sent to his lawyer after his death that refuted the possibility of a heart attack, have also been included in the scope of the investigation again.

Defense he prepared before his death has entered the file

According to the news in Sabah, another development that could affect the course of the investigation was the emergence of handwritten defense notes that Kaşif Kozinoğlu had prepared shortly before his death.

The defense notes, which contain Kozinoğlu's assessments regarding the FETÖ conspiracy and the accusations against him, have been included in the investigation file.

Touching upon the decorations and medals he received during his 34-year professional life, Kozinoğlu stated in his handwritten defense that he had been made a target and used the following expressions:

"This is my oral defense. Mr. President, Honorable Members, Honorable prosecution; with your permission, I present my defense. I am still serving as Chief Consultant at the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). I am a person who has served in the fight against terrorism for a total of 34 years, including 17 years as a MİT member, in the Turkish Armed Forces, the General Directorate of Security, and finally the National Intelligence Organization, and who has trained thousands of students in all three institutions and abroad."

"I AM A CHOSEN SCAPEGOAT FROM MİT"

"In this defense, I certainly have no intention of standing out while expressing all the truths. However, while achieving difficult tasks during 34 of my 37 years of public service—tasks that led me to receive medals and decorations bestowed upon me by my State, some of which are still on display in the MİT museum—I find myself in this case as a chosen scapegoat from MİT. I am serious."

Kozinoğlu argued that he did not know the other defendants being tried in the case and that he had been made part of a perception operation conducted through the press.

"I do not personally know any of the defendants involved in this case, and I have no connection with any of them. I am meeting them here for the first time. Throughout my 37-year professional life, not only did I have no contact with people working at ODA-TV, but I also had no contact with any member of the press or journalist; nor will I have any contact with any journalist from now on in the context of telling my memories or sharing my expertise, and it is not possible anyway. The MİT law does not allow this either.

The only truth I will express clearly and plainly is that the goal of the person or persons who gave my surname to this folder is to try to discredit me by targeting me and to give the ODA TV case the air of an important case with very important connections.

First of all, I would like to state that no one gave me my reputation. I earned my reputation by working over the years. Those who need to know within the state know the tasks I have performed. It is not necessary for everyone to know at this stage."

HE DREW ATTENTION TO THE METU REPORT AND DIGITAL EVIDENCE

In his defense, Kozinoğlu also touched upon the nature of the digital evidence used against him and the technical report prepared by METU (Middle East Technical University).

"As we understand from the content of the file, the hard drive related to this computer was taken back from the expert by the prosecutor's office before an opportunity was given for it to be examined, and within the scope of the 7-month investigation, the hard drive was not examined by forensic informatics experts."

"THE VIRUS-INFECTED FILE LOADED IN 7 SECONDS IS A PLOT"

"Although, considering the time this folder was created, i.e., 7 seconds, I think one does not need to be an informatics expert to understand that it was created externally and loaded onto the computer by a virus. As is known, there is also a technical report provided by a professor who is an expert in the field at Middle East Technical University regarding the fact that the files were loaded onto the computers of this case via a virus method. As a result, the fact that my surname appears in a folder created by someone or some people, on computer data that does not qualify as evidence, is a plot organized to turn the allegations directly onto me."

HE CLAIMED THAT MİT'S OFFICIAL LETTERS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FILE

Kozinoğlu claimed that the prosecutors who conducted the investigation and were later revealed to be FETÖ members hid the official letters sent by MİT.

Drawing attention to two separate official letters sent by MİT in this part of his defense, Kozinoğlu used the following expressions:

"The prosecution office, by acting only on this abstract folder name and including me in the ODA-TV investigation with the approach of 'If it is anyone, it must be this Kozinoğlu, Kaşif Kozinoğlu,' and causing me to be tried by fabricating crimes against me, not only did not feel the need to conduct any other examination, but also did not include two official MİT letters in my favor in the indictment.

In one of these, the official letter of the MİT Undersecretariat dated March 15, 2011, it is clearly stated that these documents belong to the Security Intelligence Presidency and that it is not possible for Kaşif Kozinoğlu to have access to the said MİT presidency, and that if he had access, this would have been detected by MİT, and it was emphasized that the mentioned documents were distributed documents. Again, regarding the subject, in the second official letter of MİT dated April 6, 2011, it is stated that 'the documents stated to belong to MİT were information notes prepared upon the request of the authority to which they were distributed, and they were printed on watermarked paper, meaning the printer was known'."