Hitman confession in 'baby gang' investigation: 'Shoot to intimidate!'

The investigation into a gang that allegedly generated illicit profits by taking newborn babies to contracted hospitals has turned into a scandal that has deeply shaken Turkey. This gang is accused of causing the deaths of 12 babies and the injury of 3 others. As part of the investigation, detained members of the gang, which includes 2 doctors and employees of the 112 Emergency Call Center, are being tried for threatening prosecutor Y.E. It was learned that one of the individuals who made the threats, Mustafa Kemal Zengin, offered a hitman job to the whistleblower Muhammed Emin O., and planned an attack on courthouse personnel, saying, "Our goal is not to kill, but to intimidate." These developments have led to the deepening of the investigation.

Within the scope of the investigation launched by the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the 'newborn baby' gang, public prosecutor Y.E. was threatened in his office by lawyers involved in the file, Aylin A. and Mustafa Kemal Zengin.

As part of the investigation launched immediately, 8 suspects were referred to the Büyükçekmece Courthouse yesterday following their procedures at the Provincial Gendarmerie Command. Aylin A., Mustafa Kemal Z., Baki Ç., Yavuz Ç., and the whistleblower Muhammed Emin O., who were referred to the Duty Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for arrest, were sent to prison on charges of violating the privacy of private life, threatening with more than one person, attempted premeditated murder due to the public duty performed by the person, influencing the person performing judicial duty, and unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data.

3 suspects were released under judicial control conditions. The testimony of the whistleblower in the investigation, Muhammed Emin O., has emerged.

"YOU WILL NOW WORK FOR THE MIT"

Whistleblower Muhammed Emin O. described the process by which Mustafa Kemal Z., who threatened the prosecutor in his office, contacted him and used him in his affairs as follows:

"I met Mustafa Kemal Zengin in Siirt through mutual friends. He said his purpose in coming here was to meet young people like me and turn them into individuals useful to the country. We exchanged numbers. When I looked at his social media, I saw that he had photos with many bureaucrats.

He introduced himself to me as the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior. He invited me to Ankara. He took my ID and later gave it back to me as an ID issued on behalf of the MIT (National Intelligence Organization). 'You will now work for the MIT. You will carry out the instructions I want,' he said. He also handed over a pistol, protective gear, and ammunition. Later, he assigned me to tasks such as vehicle escorts and personal surveillance at rallies in the east and west. During the 1.5 years I worked for him, I received my salary in cash from a person nicknamed Polat who was with Mustafa Kemal Zengin. He would tell me, 'I am giving you this fee from the intelligence budget.'"

"WE WILL SAVE YOU"

Whistleblower Muhammed Emin O. spoke about the moments he was caught in a police checkpoint in Siirt with the following sentences:

"I was renting the vehicles I used in my activities. In 2023, while I was driving to visit my family in Siirt, I was caught in a traffic police checkpoint. I showed them my MIT ID. They told me to continue. Later, while I was on the balcony at home, I saw a crowd of police officers examining my vehicle.

I called Mustafa Kemal Zengin. He told me to stay calm and remain loyal to the oath I had taken, but he himself was in a state of panic. My vehicle was towed, and I went to the Siirt Traffic Branch. I was interrogated by police teams. During the search of my home, some weapons were seized, and I was arrested and sent to a prison in Batman. I was detained for 26 days. After I was released from prison, the person nicknamed Polat came to me and said, 'You will not tell anyone about these situations related to us; we will save you from this situation you are in.'

He wanted to give me money, but I refused. Because the situations I went through wore me out, I first changed my phone number. I cut off my connection with Mustafa Zengin and the people with him. No one called me for a long time."

"COURTHOUSE PERSONNEL ARE INTERFERING WITH OUR BUSINESS"

Whistleblower Muhammed Emin O. said, "Last September, I came to Istanbul to visit my relatives. I was called by an unknown number via Telegram. I asked who it was. The caller said, 'Don't you recognize me? I am President Zengin.' I realized the person was Mustafa Kemal Zengin. He asked me about the status of my file in Siirt. I said, 'The trial is ongoing,' and closed the subject. He told me he had a good offer for me, and if I fulfilled it, I would receive 100,000 Dollars and my file would be closed without a conviction. I asked what the offer was. He said, 'I like to be honest. I have always been open. A courthouse staff member in Istanbul is interfering with our business.

The actions of this person are also affecting your file. I will tell you the person's identity information, photo, vehicle license plate, where they work, and their arrival and departure times. I will send you a weapon along with a person who uses a motorcycle. You will get on the back of the motorcycle with a masked person and fire one shot each at the tires and the front passenger seat of the vehicle used by the courthouse staff while it is stopped at traffic lights.

You will not kill anyone. Our goal is just to intimidate,' he said. When I asked who it was, he said, 'I won't tell you who it is until you accept the job.' I said that I absolutely did not accept this and that he should not call me again, and I hung up the phone. That day and afterwards, I could not find anyone to talk to at the police department. I returned to my family in Siirt. When I saw the footage in the press of Mustafa Kemal Zengin threatening the prosecutor, I realized that this was the job he had offered me, and I went to the Provincial Gendarmerie Command and explained the situation," he said.