Former national football player arrested for ISIS membership
Yusuf Atay, who has played for the national team, has been arrested on charges of being a member of the terrorist organization ISIS. The indictment presents Atay's social media posts and content found on his phone as evidence.
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Yusuf Atay, who played for the national team for a period, was detained on October 27 and arrested on October 30 following police and prosecutorial questioning. The investigation into him was completed rapidly, and in the indictment prepared on November 4, Atay is accused of being a member of ISIS.
According to a report by Halk TV, the indictment cites Atay's posts on the social media platform X, as well as images and videos of weapons accessed via the phone password he provided voluntarily, as evidence. Furthermore, it was noted that Atay commented on a news report regarding the September 11 attacks, which were claimed by Al-Qaeda, by calling it a "work of art."
Atay's lawyer argued that his client is not a member of any terrorist organization and has no hierarchical connection to one. The lawyer stated that Atay made such posts to express his reaction against Israel's actions in Palestine.
The defense petition emphasized that Atay is a national football player who represented the country in national and international competitions. It was also stated that his family has no record related to terrorism. The case was heard at the Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court on November 25.
Yusuf Atay's national team career, having played for youth national teams: