Sarıyer Santa Maria Church attack: Church and Father Anton Bulai request police protection!

Regarding the terrorist attack at the Santa Maria Church in Sarıyer, which resulted in the death of one person, the lawyer for the church and Father Anton Bulai, Afşin Hatipoğlu, has requested police protection. In the petition submitted by Hatipoğlu, it was stated that the target of the attack was to kill everyone in the church and that a public lawsuit should be filed to punish the suspects and other individuals linked to the terrorist organization.

The petition detailed the events of January 28, 2024, recalling that following the armed attack in which 52-year-old Tuncer Murat Cihan lost his life, 25 suspects were arrested and judicial control measures were imposed on 9 suspects. Lawyer Hatipoğlu filed a criminal complaint with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, requesting that protection be assigned to the church and Father Anton Bulai and that a case be opened against the suspects.

The petition emphasized that the attack caused a major stir in the press and public opinion, noting that the terrorist organization ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, and stated that the church is visited by thousands of people of different faiths. It was noted that the attackers fired indiscriminately during the mass held at the church and that the lives of thousands of innocent people are in danger.

In the complaint petition, it was requested that police protection be assigned and other legal measures be taken due to the seriousness of the attack and the proximity of the threat. Furthermore, it was stated that a public lawsuit should be filed to ensure the punishment of the suspects. Citing articles in the Anti-Terror Law, it was stated that the suspects disrupted the unity of the state and the integrity of the country and caused the death of an innocent person.