Witness to the Cemil Önal assassination speaks out... He made contact with the CIA: 'I have copies of the tapes'

Bayram Bozkurt, who was with Cemil Önal, who was recently assassinated in the Netherlands, recounted those moments to Halk TV columnist İsmail Saymaz. Bozkurt, a secret witness in the Ergenekon trial, now uses the name Hakan Aslan in official records.

According to Bozkurt's claims, Önal was killed by an attacker who approached from behind while they were sitting in a cafe. He described the moment as follows:

“I saw someone coming from behind. As soon as he turned his head, he started running toward Cemil. By the time I noticed, he had already moved. He had placed the gun near his midsection. He pulled it out. I shouted, ‘Don’t!’ I stood up. He first shot him in the head with the gun. I saw that, then I tried to escape by ducking. He fired 6-7 times, bang, bang, bang.”

Bozkurt stated that he could not fully identify the attacker's face but used the expression, “He looked like a Slav or an Albanian.”

“HE MET WITH THE CIA, THE TAPES ARE MY INSURANCE”

Bozkurt claimed that the murdered Cemil Önal possessed some sensitive information and was specifically hiding it. He said that both Önal's wife and he himself had met with CIA officials.

“His wife said, ‘I met with the CIA twice, and Cemil met with them once’”

Bozkurt noted the following:

“Yeni Şafak published a report about Cemil. Regarding him working for the CIA and collaborating with FETÖ members... They called me a month or a month and a half ago. His wife was coming to Turkey. They were very worried. I went out and met them. We met at the same hotel. I said, ‘You can’t go to Turkey anymore.’ I asked, ‘Are you working with the CIA?’ His wife said, ‘I met with the CIA twice, and Cemil met with them once.’ I said, ‘These tapes and such, these are things that will cause trouble. Do such tapes exist?’ She said, ‘I have a copy, but add a zero to the 45.’”

“Cemil wanted to secure his position in Europe”

Stating that he had not seen the tapes with his own eyes, Bozkurt explained, “Cemil wanted to secure his position in Europe. The reason he made the broadcasts was to prevent the Netherlands from extraditing him to Turkey. We never talked about assassinations or anything like that. But he carried this worry: ‘If I am extradited to Turkey, I am ruined.’”

Bozkurt added, “I think Cemil knew a lot. He had built a network in Cyprus. But I never asked about the content.”

"Blood was gushing from his head upwards"

He was coming from behind Cemil. By the time I noticed, he had already moved. He had placed the gun near his midsection. He pulled it out. I shouted, “Don’t!” I stood up. He first shot him in the head with the gun. I saw that, then I tried to escape by ducking. He fired 6-7 times, bang, bang, bang. There were families, children, and people around. The table next to us, the table behind... I ran 5-6 meters. I had already ducked. After ducking, I tried to escape. It is impossible to describe that moment. The children screaming, crying... When I went to the table, Cemil was lying upside down. Blood was gushing from his head upwards.

"I was so panicked that I fled immediately in case of a second attack"

I was so panicked that I fled immediately in case of a second attack. To my car. As I was leaving, I shouted, “Call the police, call an ambulance!” I drove away without picking a direction. My hands and feet were shaking, my vision blurred. I called my lawyer. He said, “Go to the nearest police station.” I stopped twice. I washed my face and hands. I didn't know where I was going on the highway. I went to the police half an hour later. I told them the person who died was Cemil. They didn't know who had been shot. My statement was taken for two hours. I felt ill after the statement. They took me to the hospital. I stayed until 4 in the morning. I came to Germany. I went with my lawyer on Thursday. I told them everything I knew.”