19.07.2026 07:20
The statements of 27 suspects detained in the investigation into the helicopter crash in which Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu lost his life have emerged. While some military pilots were asked, "Did you fly to Israel?", it was learned that dismissed police officer Ismail Kaya, who allegedly prepared the inaccurate information note, is also being tried in the Mossad espionage case. The file also includes FETÖ connections, contacts with Adil Öksüz, and new witness statements regarding the crash.
New details have emerged regarding the statements of 27 suspects detained in the investigation into the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, the founding chairman of the Great Unity Party (BBP). While suspects were questioned on various matters ranging from the events of the crash day to FETÖ connections, it drew attention that some military pilots were asked, "Did you fly to Israel?" Another striking detail in the investigation is that the dismissed police officer, who allegedly prepared a false information note, had also been tried on charges of being a MOSSAD agent.
In the investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, detention warrants were issued for 27 individuals. While 19 of the suspects were arrested, 8 were released under judicial control conditions.
"I STAYED IN ISRAEL FOR 3 DAYS"
During their testimonies, military pilots Tezcan Kaymaz, Nihat Biçer, Ali Armağan, Ahmet Turhan, and Sedat Kılıçarslan—who were alleged to have flown F-4 and F-16 fighter jets near the crash site on the day of the accident and to have caused a sonic boom by exceeding the speed of sound—were asked questions regarding Israel.
Only Ali Armağan, a former Chief of Staff of the Air Forces Command whose ranks were stripped after July 15 due to his FETÖ connection, answered "Yes" to the question, "Did you fly to Israel?"
According to a report by Yeni Şafak, Armağan stated in his testimony, "In 1997, as part of the modernization of F-4 aircraft, we went to Israel, to Ben Gurion Airport, with two planes. After handing over the planes to Israeli military officials, we stayed in the country for three days. Accompanied by a guide, we visited some places, especially Jerusalem, and then returned to Turkey." Other retired pilots stated that they had traveled to Israel due to the private airline companies they worked for.
MOSSAD ESPIONAGE CASE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE FILE
One of the notable aspects of the investigation was police officer İsmail Kaya, who served at the Kahramanmaraş Police Department's Intelligence Branch at the time.
It was revealed that Kaya, who was dismissed from the profession due to his FETÖ connection, is still being tried on charges of being a MOSSAD agent. It was learned that Kaya was tried in the same case as former Police Chief Hamza Turan Ayberk, who was arrested on allegations of conducting activities on behalf of Israel, and was sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison for the crime of "jointly obtaining information or documents related to state security."
"I DIDN'T KNOW HE WORKED FOR ISRAEL"
İsmail Kaya made the following defense in his testimony within the scope of the Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu investigation: "A judicial investigation was launched against me in 2024 or 2025 on allegations that I was an Israeli agent. The reason was that Hamza Turan Ayberk, whom I met while visiting the phone repair shop of my fellow villager Ekrem Ağırman in Tahtakale, had a few phones repaired and sent the fee to my account. I did not know that Ayberk was an Israeli agent. I was also sued because of the money transfer between us."
It was stated that in the information note sent by Kaya from the intelligence branch where he worked immediately after the accident to 81 provinces, he shared the information that "Yazıcıoğlu was rescued alive. He was transferred to Göksun State Hospital with a broken leg."
NOTABLE ASSESSMENT FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
It was stated that search and rescue activities were halted for a while due to this prepared information note. In the accusation directed at İsmail Kaya, the prosecutor's office included the following assessment: "Due to the aforementioned information note, search and rescue activities were first directed to a different area, and then, because of the information that he was found alive, search efforts were stopped for a certain period. Additionally, the location of İsmail Güneş was prevented from being determined, leading to his intentional death. It is understood that there was concern that if the surviving İsmail Güneş had been reached, it would have revealed that the incident was an organizational act."
ALLEGATION OF "MODEL OF THE F-16 THAT SHOT DOWN THE HELICOPTER"
A notable allegation that surfaced years ago regarding Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu's death was also included in the investigation file through a witness statement.
According to the allegation, an F-16 model displayed on the 5th floor of the organization's Yamanlar College in Izmir was introduced to visitors as "the model of the F-16 that flew over Yazıcıoğlu's helicopter."
Former organization member Abdullah Önder recounted in his testimony: "I told this incident to the so-called Elazığ provincial imam, Mehmet Durakoğlu. He told me that this F-16 model belonged to the aircraft that flew over Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu's helicopter and caused the accident. I asked, 'How can such a thing happen?' He got angry and said, 'How would the F-16 pilot know there was a helicopter underneath? He was just doing his assigned duty.'"
COMMUNICATED WITH ADİL ÖKSÜZ 152 TIMES
The file also contained striking information regarding the connection of arrested former Air Forces Chief of Staff Ali Armağan with FETÖ. It was determined that Armağan, one of the pilots of the F-4 fighter jet in the area at the time of the accident, had come to Malatya on March 20, 2009, five days before the incident, to complete his flight hours.
Armağan, who was imprisoned between 2018 and 2023 on FETÖ charges, was found to have used an operational line in organizational activities since 2010 and to have communicated with Adil Öksüz, one of FETÖ's confidential imams in the Air Forces, 152 times.
Additionally, it was noted that during searches at Adil Öksüz's home, a book allegedly belonging to Fetullah Gülen was seized, and the fingerprint of Armağan's wife, Şerife Armağan, was found on it.
In his testimony, Ali Armağan denied the allegations regarding the flight he made on the day of the accident and rejected the accusations of having connections with Adil Öksüz and Kemal Batmaz.
USA AND MALATYA TRAFFIC DREW ATTENTION
One of the most striking findings in the investigation file was the mobility of individuals alleged to be part of FETÖ's confidential structure in the Air Forces before the accident.
It was determined that Erol Sağlam, the period's Istanbul Air Confidential Imam, traveled from Istanbul to Diyarbakır on March 21, 2009, and then to Malatya. It was established that Sağlam met here with the Malatya Air Confidential Imam, Ali Cingitaş, and returned to Istanbul the next day. The common contact point of Erol Sağlam and Ali Cingitaş was identified as the Air Confidential Imam Cağfer Sarıkaya.
According to the investigation file, Sarıkaya traveled from Istanbul to the USA on March 23, 2009, together with Harun Biniş, who was captured at Akıncı Base during the July 15 coup attempt, and fugitive Adil Öksüz. It drew attention that this trip occurred only two days before the helicopter crash.
On the other hand, it was determined that Ali Cingitaş went to Istanbul five days after the accident and met with Kemal Batmaz, one of FETÖ's air clandestine imams.
THEY WERE PART OF THE ASSASSINATION TEAM AGAINST ERDOĞAN
Many of the names detained in the investigation are considered to be linked to FETÖ. It was reported that Petty Officer Aydın Özsıcak and Petty Officer Davut Uçum, who came to the fore with images of dismantling devices in the downed helicopter, were discharged from the Turkish Armed Forces due to their ties to FETÖ. It was stated that both names were part of the team involved in the assassination attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the July 15 coup attempt.
It was noted that former Petty Officer Nusret Memiş was also discharged from the TSK after July 15, the name of retired Major Mehmet Çağlar appeared in ByLock correspondence, and police officers Dursun Özmen and İsmail Kaya were among those removed from public office.