Stabbing trial at Fatih Mosque: Up to 34 years and 6 months in prison sought for Ömer Salgın, who stabbed the imam

The defendant, Ömer Salgın, did not attend the hearing at the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court, citing an excuse, while the complainants Galip Usta, Bilal Erdem, and Yusufcan İslam, along with their lawyers, were present.

Taking the floor, complainant Imam Galip Usta stated that he was on duty at the mosque on the day of the incident and explained that he saw a shadow at the door of the imam's room and that the defendant wanted to ask him something.

Usta stated that he did not feel being stabbed at that moment, but when he realized it, he tried to push the defendant away with his feet to defend himself, and that Bilal Erdem tried to intervene, but the defendant stabbed him as well.

'I HAVE BEEN ON MEDICAL LEAVE FOR 5 MONTHS'

Stating that he also had knife wounds below his knees and that he did not know the defendant, Usta said, "When I stood up after leading the evening prayer, I heard a voice. Sometimes voices are heard after prayers. I remember that voice; because I am an imam, I said nothing. I heard one of the muezzins say, 'Instead of criticizing Muslims, criticize Israel.' My voice is gone, and I have been on medical leave for five months. If the knife had gone one centimeter higher, I would have died from blood loss. I am filing a complaint."

'I STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 5 DAYS'

Complainant Bilal Erdem said, "As soon as the defendant opened the door to the imam's room, he said, 'Can I ask something?' and immediately grabbed the imam by the neck. He attempted to kill him. Even though I tried to intervene from behind, he stabbed our imam. I tried to pull him back, but he stabbed me too with his free hand. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days. I am filing a complaint."

During the hearing, the testimony of the defendant's father, Hüseyin Salgın, was taken as a witness via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).

Claiming that his son's eating and sleeping patterns had deteriorated in the days before the incident, Salgın said:

"He was in a very bad state. On the evening of January 7, he went to his partner's house. They argued and fought. He came home that evening and went to his room again without saying anything. On the day of the incident, he left the house at noon. In the evening, the police teams called and explained the incident. The police had also come to the door. He used to go to a religious community. He was not going to formations like a party. I don't think the community gave any direction. We could not prevent our son from reaching this point."

Announcing its interim decision, the court panel decided that the detention of the defendant Ömer Salgın should continue.

The panel, which decided to hear the defendant in the next session, adjourned the trial to July 3 to address the deficiencies.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

At Fatih Mosque on January 8, the defendant Ömer Salgın, who caused trouble during prayer, was removed from the mosque by private security guards. The defendant, who entered the imam's room after the prayer and stated that he wanted to speak with Galip Usta, stabbed the imam and Bilal Erdem, a member of the congregation who tried to intervene.

While Ömer Salgın was taken into custody by police teams, Usta and Erdem were taken to the hospital for treatment.

After his procedures at the police station, Ömer Salgın was referred to the courthouse and arrested for "attempted intentional murder."

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Imam Galip Usta's statement was included, stating that he did not know the defendant and that after leading the obligatory part of the evening prayer on the day of the incident, while preparing to lead the sunnah prayer, someone from the back rows shouted loudly, "O Muslims, wake up from the sleep of heedlessness."

Usta stated that he did not engage with the person shouting and continued the prayer, that he did not understand what the defendant, whose voice he heard, was saying, and that after the prayer, security guards removed the defendant from the mosque.

Usta stated that he then went to the imam's room inside the mosque and started a lesson with his students Bilal Erdem, Yusuf Mumcu, and Yusufcan İslam, and that when he said "Go ahead, what will you ask?" to the defendant who suddenly entered the room, the defendant, who did not answer him, hit him in the chest, causing him to fall into the chair.

Stating that he was stabbed despite trying to stop the defendant, Usta noted that at that time, Bilal Erdem and Yusuf Mumcu in the room tried to intervene, and Yusufcan İslam tried to remove the person.

The indictment states that according to the doctor's report, the injuries of complainants Galip Usta and Bilal Erdem were of a nature that could not be healed by simple medical intervention and endangered their lives, and that the injury of complainant Yusufcan İslam involved a fracture and could not be healed by simple medical intervention.

In the indictment, it is requested that the defendant Ömer Salgın be sentenced to 18 to 30 years in prison for "attempted intentional murder" against Galip Usta and Bilal Erdem, and 1.5 to 4.5 years in prison for "intentional injury" against Yusufcan İslam.