4 Years Later: New Book Sheds Light on Shady Aspects of Dink’s Murder

A new book authored by journalist Adem Yavuz Arslan seeks to shed light on some of the shady aspects of the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was shot dead by a nationalist teenager in broad daylight in front of his office four years ago, reports Today’s Zaman.

Arslan’s book, “Bi Ermeni Var: Dink Operasyonunun Şifreleri” (“There’s this Armenian: The Codes of the Dink Operation”), which is out today, puts forward new evidence that indicates that the murder had been masterminded from the start.

“This murder was not committed just by a few ultranationalists, but was carefully planned in minute detail from the start, as part of shady groups’ attempts to create chaos in the country,” Arslan told Today’s Zaman, asserting that the investigation should start from scratch in light of the evidence he provides in his book.

He alleges that the Dink murder is part of a larger plan to drive Turkey away from the European Union. He also asserts that the journalist’s murder is linked to the brutal 2007 killings of three Christians in Malatya.

Arslan’s book details many connections with members of Ergenekon — a clandestine gang with members nested within the state hierarchy whose members are currently on trial for attempting to overthrow the government by force. Ergenekon is accused of being behind many atrocious crimes and plots that sought to create chaos in Turkey, which they hoped would trigger a military takeover. The book provides new evidence that confirms links that were suspected earlier between key Ergenekon suspect Veli Küçük, a retired general, and Col. Ali Öz, who was gendarmerie regiment commander in Trabzon — the hometown of Dink’s hitman, Ogün Samast, and other suspects in the trial and the city where the plot to assassinate Dink was hatched.

Küçük had also threatened Dink when he was still alive over his articles and writings. According to different accounts from various members of the Dink family, Küçük and ultranationalist lawyer Kemal Kerinçsiz — also a suspect in the Ergenekon case — had threatened Dink. The journalist’s brother, Orhan Dink, remembers that his brother was highly unnerved by the involvement of Kerinçsiz and Küçük.

Arslan also points to various shortcomings that he spotted in the investigation. He asserts in his book that Dink’s murder was a stage in a larger plan to launch an anti-Christian campaign and stir up ultranationalist sentiment.

Arslan said although this Wednesday will mark the fourth anniversary of Dink’s death, the investigation has not yielded any results, adding that it did not look like it was going anywhere. Arslan says the investigators did not ask vital questions during the probe, such as questioning the relationship between the Gendarmerie Force and Kerinçsiz.

“It is very difficult to write on such issues. It is obviously not a very pleasant topic. But I think my book will serve as a good reference for those who would like to look at the Dink murder from a different perspective,” he told Today’s Zaman.