Who did send that message to Erhan Tuncel?

Yesterday, Onur Karakaya, an officer from Trabzon Intelligence Branch, presented his defence. He said that he had never met with Erhan Tuncel alone and he attended the meetings 3 or 4 times with Özkan Mumcu and Mehmet Ayhan. He also said that he witnessed the meeting where Tuncel said that Yasin Hayal has given up his plans of murder. 

Denying the claims of being a member of Gulenists, Karakaya said: “Many officers have been reassigned after the coup attempt, but my office hasn’t been changed. I deny those claims.”

Karakaya also said that Tuncel has been giving contradictory statements in order to conceal his responsibility.  

After the defence, the cross examination started.  

Previously, Erhan Tuncel claimed that he called the intelligence branch for meeting, but they didn’t return his call and then Hacı Salihoğlu had texted him.

Prosecution determined that Trabzon Intelligence Branch called Erhan Tuncel 34 times and sent a message, after he was dismissed from the intelligence branch. 

The court asked Özkan Mumcu about the phone calls and the text. He stated that he called Tuncel once right after Dink was murdered and he doesn’t know anything about the other calls and the text.  

Then, the court asked the same question to Ercan Demir and Mehmet Ayhan, officers from Trabzon Intelligence Branch. Ayhan said that he was on leave, when the message was sent. Demir said that they called Tuncel more than 34 times.  

The hearing will continue on Thursday.