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Seven arrested defendants charged with being member and administrator of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been released by İstanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court. Bomb was found in one of the defendants’ car.
The defendants released left İstanbul Justice Palace in Çağlayan saying allahuakbar.
96 people of whom seven are imprisoned including Halis Bayancuk, codenamed Ebu Hanzala who is allegedly ISIS’ one of leaders in Turkey are being tried.
Two people allegedly sent two women of French passport to Syria from Antep to join ISIS denied the accusation.
Asaad Khelifalkhadr explaining he came to Turkey off the back of a lorry is in tourism business said, “We sometimes show people coming from abroad around since we are in tourism business. I’ve never sent anyone to ISIS. I don’t support ISIS”.
“Victimized” by ISIS
Halis Bayuncuk chipping in at this moment said the translator didn’t full translate stated that Asaad in his testimony said he was victimized by ISIS and came to Turkey because of that.
Asaad said, “Syria is no longer a place for us to live after conflict erupted between [Syrian Leader] Bashar Assad and ISIS. That is why I came to Turkey with my wife. I recruiting for ISIS is out of question”.
First Antep, then İstanbul
The other arrested Syrian defendant Muhammet Mustafa Halil said he first went to Antep fleeing civil war in Syria, then arrived in İstanbul and run tea shop here.
Halil as well said he didn’t send anyone to Syria to join ISIS.
“The bombs don’t belong to me”
Gökhan Bulut arrested in Al Qaeda operation and tried without arrest, upon the question as to bomb and arms which was basis for his arrest claimed “the bombs were in the car he rented and don’t belong to them”.
“The bombs were found in the engine, not in the trunk. Someone left them there. The bombs don’t belong to me”.
Seven defendanst including Halis Bayancuk were released at the end of the trial. (AS/TK)
