The Mayor of Esenyurt, Ahmet Özer, was detained today as part of an investigation into "membership in a terrorist organization." Searches were conducted at Özer's home and the municipal building. It was learned that the process regarding Özer began in July 2023. HIS NAME APPEARS IN DOCUMENTS SEIZED FROM A PKK CONVICT IN JULY 2023The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau is conducting an investigation aimed at identifying the members and activities of the terrorist organization PKK/KCK, and the investigation in which Özer was detained is ongoing. It was stated that an investigation was initiated by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in July 2023 after Özer's name appeared in documents seized from a convicted PKK member in Diyarbakır Prison. HTS REPORTS COVERING A 10-YEAR PERIOD IN THE FILEThe investigation file, which was sent to the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to lack of jurisdiction, was also sent to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in July because Özer's residence is in Istanbul. As part of the investigation conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, HTS reports, including communication detection covering a retrospective 10-year period regarding the suspect, were added to the file. Additionally, all reports prepared by the police also reached the file on October 28. WHAT HAPPENED?In the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Terror and Organized Crimes Investigation Bureau, it was determined that Özer, who was detained, had committed the alleged crime by establishing an organic connection with the organization's leaders through intense and continuous communication, as evidenced by the transcripts obtained from communication surveillance, physical tracking records, and bank account movements. Upon the request of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a search warrant was issued by the Istanbul Duty Magistrate's Court. The suspect Özer was detained this morning, and searches were conducted at his home, workplace, and vehicle. According to organizational documents seized from members of the terrorist organization and also delivered to the leadership cadre located in the Qandil region of Northern Iraq, it was noted that there was a document indicating that the suspect Özer was deemed suitable for assignment in the so-called democratic autonomy project during a meeting with the terrorist organization's leader Abdullah Öcalan on Imralı Island. It was reported that communication surveillance measures were applied to the suspect Özer, and based on the content of the transcripts, physical tracking records, and examined account movements, it was determined that he had met with 694 different individuals who had judicial records due to their membership in the PKK/KCK armed terrorist organization over approximately 10 years, as well as having met 14 times with Remzi Kartal, who is wanted with a red notice among the so-called high-level executives of the terrorist organization. According to the information obtained in the investigation, it was reported that there was strong suspicion of a crime regarding Özer's establishment of an organic connection with the terrorist organization in a continuous and intense manner, thereby committing the alleged crime.
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