Footage sparked backlash: 'Menzil' allegations against the gendarmerie lieutenant who intervened harshly in Silivri

The case filed by CHP's imprisoned presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu against the decision to invalidate his undergraduate diploma was heard in Silivri on January 15. The Istanbul 5th Administrative Court will announce its decision within 15 days following the eventful hearing.

The scuffle and gendarmerie intervention that took place in Silivri before the hearing became a major topic of discussion. Cameras captured the gendarmerie teams intervening harshly against a large group that had arrived for the case, including CHP deputies, party officials, and mayors. In particular, the aggressive behavior and hostile attitude of one gendarmerie lieutenant became the focus of the backlash.

In his article titled "Who is the lieutenant who attacked the public in the İmamoğlu case?" on Veryansın, Erdem Atay claimed that the lieutenant in question is affiliated with the Menzil community.

It is alleged that the soldier, who is stated to be serving as a team commander at the Alemdar Commando Brigade in Çekmeköy, has been associated with a religious group since his years at the Gendarmerie School.

In his article, Atay claimed that the lieutenant identified himself as an atheist during his first years at the school, but later changed his attitude, began spending time with a specific group, and started performing prayers. It is also stated that the soldier in question, along with this group, would forgo military training to pray collectively and received special permission from his commanders. Following graduation, it is stated that the lieutenant served in the east for two years and then took a position as a platoon commander at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy.

Atay's article is as follows:

'The person you see in the photo is a Gendarmerie Lieutenant.

When you watch the video, you will see this lieutenant's attitude and ask yourself, “Is this how a Turkish soldier behaves?”

The incident took place before the diploma case of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The gendarmerie, who arrived in the area, intervened against the citizens and CHP officials who came to the courthouse to observe the diploma case.

… and everyone watching the video is reacting to the demeanor and actions of this lieutenant.

I was also shocked while watching. How does a Turkish officer fall to such a state? What kind of attitude is this? Are you so devoid of common sense, knowledge, and experience that you cannot understand what is appropriate for that uniform?

Who trained you? Who or who were the ones who graduated you from the Gendarmerie school? We will provide the answer.

We are stopping here for now.

We are taking you back to 2018.

The place is the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy.

The lieutenant candidates of that year had just started school. Everyone was trying to get to know each other.

One of them is named Yaşar.

Lieutenant candidate Yaşar was known for his atheist rhetoric when he first arrived. Whoever he spoke to, whoever he told his ideas to, whoever he shared his thoughts with, the person he spoke to would define Yaşar as an “Atheist.”

No one found this situation strange.

However, after a while, a change began to appear in Yaşar. The friends he spoke to and spent time with changed, and this was generally reflected in his attitude.

He started praying. He performed his prayers collectively with these friends.

In other words, this group of lieutenant candidates would go to the mosque not alone, but collectively at every prayer time.

Yaşar was with them too…

Yaşar was so absorbed that one day, during a class, he opened his hands and started to pray. Those who saw Yaşar were surprised. And of course, the commander giving the lecture was also confused.

The commander asked: “Yaşar, what are you doing?”

There was no answer.

The commander asked again with curious eyes: “My son, what are you doing? Did something happen?”

Still no sound from Yaşar! After a while, Yaşar lowered his hands, said “I was praying, my commander,” and fell silent.

Yes, Yaşar repeated this many times during his school period.

In the middle of a class, he would suddenly open his hands and start praying.

Despite disrupting discipline, no one did or could do anything to Yaşar and his friends.

Because Yaşar and his friends had immunity at the Gendarmerie School. No one could speak up, react, or enforce military discipline on them.

They did everything openly and behaved as they pleased.

For example, was there military training? And did this military training coincide exactly with prayer time?

They would immediately go to the commander and say we are going to pray, and they would go. In other words, the commanders were forced to give them permission.

Then these lieutenant candidates would perform their prayers collectively as a congregation and return to the training field.

Yaşar supported and adopted the government and the government's views. He expressed this very openly everywhere.

Let me tell you one more detail, for example.

This team, which Yaşar was also a part of, would go out on town leave collectively, and for some reason, they all wore very similar clothes. Usually, khaki baggy shirts and dress pants underneath.

There were some lieutenant candidates this team did not like. During town leaves, some of them would have these disliked individuals followed and would pass information about these people to the “Big Brother,” sorry, to their commanders.

For example, was there a lieutenant candidate who did not pray? And did they not like him or not trust him at all?

Suddenly, they would lie about that person they disliked, saying “he is profiling those who pray,” and present it to their “big brothers,” sorry, to their commanders.

Yaşar was among them.

There was also someone among them nicknamed “the tall one.” Yaşar usually listened to what that “tall one” said and did whatever he said.

Yes, they were affiliated with a sect.

The name of the sect was Menzil!

Yes, all of these people, who were students in 2018, graduated and pinned their lieutenant ranks on their shoulders. Now each of them has been scattered all over Turkey.

Yaşar also graduated and received his assignment. He served in the east for 2 years, and then we saw him as a platoon commander at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy.

Yaşar is now serving as a team commander at the Alemdar Commando Brigade in Çekmeköy.

And, yes…

The person you see in this photo and video is Yaşar himself!

Now I am looking at this lieutenant to see if he is “suitable”!

No, he is not suitable!

He is not suitable in your opinion either, right?

But according to those who manage the Gendarmerie, he is suitable!

And he is very suitable indeed!'

News Source: 12punto