25.08.2026 15:31
In the investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the religious structure known publicly as 'Süleymancılar,' a third wave operation was carried out. While detention decisions were issued for 54 people, it was decided to appoint trustees to 11 companies and 3 associations. The names of the organizations to which trustees were appointed have also been revealed.
In the scope of the investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the religious structure known publicly as "Süleymancılar," a third wave of operations was carried out.
38 OF 54 SUSPECTS DETAINED
Within the scope of the operation, 38 of the 54 suspects for whom detention orders were issued were apprehended and taken into custody. It was determined that 2 suspects were abroad and 1 suspect was in prison. It was reported that efforts to apprehend the remaining 13 suspects continue meticulously. Within the scope of the investigation, it was also decided to appoint trustees to 11 companies and three associations.
The associations and companies to which trustees were appointed are as follows:
- Çamlıca Basın Yayın Unlu Mamüller Eğitim, Sağ., Tur., Jeotermal İnş. San. Tic. Ş.
- Element Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- Fazilet Neşriyat ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- Fionart Cam Mozaik ve İnşaat Sanayi Ticaret Limited Şirketi
- Hisar Sigorta Aracılık Hizmetleri Anonim Şirketi
- Hisarüstü İnşaat Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- Intersweet Dış Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- İsabet Yayıncılık ve Eğitim Hizmetleri Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- Tek Düzen Serbest Muhasebecilik Mali Müşavirlik Limited Şirketi
- Üstün Avize Aydınlatma Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi
- Hicaz Derneği Anonim Şirketi
- Saha Eğitim ve İnsani Yardım Derneği
- Diversity Derneği
- İFA Uluslararası Kardeşlik Derneği
WHAT HAPPENED?
In the investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the structure known publicly as "Süleymancılar," which it calls the "Alihan Kuriş criminal organization for profit," the first operation was carried out on August 13. In the operation conducted in 17 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya, detention orders were issued for 49 people, including Alihan Kuriş.
The suspects were charged with "establishing and managing a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "money laundering of assets derived from crime," "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," and "violation of the Tax Procedural Law."
In the MASAK reports prepared within the scope of the investigation, it was stated that there was a money flow exceeding 100 billion liras through individuals and companies linked to the structure. Search and seizure operations were carried out at 43 addresses belonging to the suspects and 80 addresses belonging to 32 companies, and trustees were appointed to many companies. In the continuation of the process, 32 people, including Alihan Kuriş, were arrested.
Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi announced that Kuriş and the top management of the structure were determined to use the secret communication application called "Glooper," and he compared the system to ByLock used by FETÖ.
Following the first operation, approximately 200 kilograms of gold bullion worth about 1.34 billion liras were found at an address claimed to belong to Hilmi Tuna Kuriş, the brother of Alihan Kuriş, who was at large. While efforts continued to apprehend Hilmi Tuna Kuriş, the second wave of the investigation was carried out on August 21 in Istanbul, Konya, Mersin, and Muğla.
In the second operation, proceedings were initiated against 13 suspects, and 12 people were apprehended. Hilmi Tuna Kuriş, Erhan Yılmaz, and Mehmet Özmen, who was alleged to have helped with the escape organization, were taken into custody in Bozburun, Marmaris district of Muğla.
It was revealed that the vehicle with license plate 34 SL 313, used to transport Kuriş and Yılmaz to Muğla, was allocated to former Minister of Interior İdris Naim Şahin until 2030. Şahin stated that he had rented the vehicle but that it was used without his knowledge or permission, and he filed a criminal complaint against the relevant individuals.
In the investigation, it was stated that the vehicle was registered to the company owned by Mehmet Özmen and that Özmen was using it. According to PTS and phone records, it was alleged that Özmen turned off his phone on August 16 while traveling from Istanbul to Muğla and turned it back on after his return. It was also determined that Özmen sent 2,406,650 liras in 2023 for a car purchased in the name of Alihan Kuriş's wife, Seda Kuriş.
In the later stages of the case file, it was reported that two more vehicles with license plates 34 S 7815 and 34 RM 8677, allocated to İdris Naim Şahin, were used by different individuals. It was stated that among the names using one of these vehicles were Ömer Sipahioğlu and Ömür Yücel, who was reported to have served in the Private Secretariat of the Ministry of Interior between 2011 and 2014.
In the investigation file, it was also alleged that there were images of three Belarusian citizens carrying diplomatic passports being transported in one of the mentioned vehicles on August 21, and that two phone lines considered to be used by these individuals were opened in the name of Ömür Yücel. It was reported that the prosecutor's office has also re-examined a complaint made in 2011 containing allegations of bribery, interference in public tenders, blackmail, and the bringing of women from Belarus.