During a police operation against an armed militant in the quiet residential area of Bostancı, Istanbul, on Monday (27 April), a police officer, a 16-year-old bystander and the militant were killed. An NTV cameraman was wounded by a shot.
At a press briefing, Istanbul Governor Muammer Güler and Chief of Police Celalettin Cerrah replied to some of the criticisms levelled at the operation.
Güler was quick to point out that “this is not a defence, but a correction of missing or wrong information.”
Some of the issues they spoke about were:
Security lane: Güler pointed out that a security lane was different from a security area, and that the lane did not mean that the outside was safe. It was meant to allow police to be able to act without disruptions.
He added that the security lane, which was up to 96 metres from the building where shots came from, was the longest ever used, but that all areas facing the building where the operation took place were not secure.
Large weapons arsenal: Cerrah said that Orhan Yılmazkaya, the militant who was later killed, had had a large weapons arsenal. After the police had knocked on the door and announced themselves, he had shot at the door and thrown hand grenades. With a radio of his own, he had entered the police frequency and announced that he would not surrender. He then fired shots from the front and the back of the building.
Following a question from a journalist, Güler said, “We would have liked to capture him alive. If only we had been able to.”
According to intelligence, there was a possibility of more than one person being in the flat. When it turned out that there was only one, the police knew that there would be an exchange of fire, but not that there were so many weapons in the flat.
“Shots at the back”: The main police operation took place at the front of the building. Yılmazkaya “probably” thought that he could escape from the back, and then shot when he saw police there, injuring NTV camera man İlhan Kandaz and killing sixteen-year-old M.Ş..
“They ignored warnings”: Güler said that traffic had been stopped at the front of the building and had been allowed to flow in a controlled manner at the back. He added that civilians and journalists at the back, where Kandaz was injured and M.Ş. was shot, ignored police warnings to keep away from the security lane.
“Impossible to evacuate building”: Cerrah and Güler said that the constant shooting had made it impossible to evacuate those on the same floor. Those living above the flat where Yılmazkaya was moved to flats higher up in the apartment block.
“Sufficient equipment”: Cerrah and Güler said that the police officers taking part in the operation were wearing bullet-proof vests, and that those injured were saved because of them. Police officer Semih Balaban, who died during the operation, was shot in the face. Güler said that the police taking part in the operation were experienced.
“Successful operation”: According to Güler and Cerrah, the operation has meant that they have found a weapons arsenal, have prevented further attacks and have caught the leader of an organisation. If this operation had not taken place, they added, there would have been “sensational attacks and assassinations.”
Güler promised that those who had suffered from the operation would receive recompense. Addressing the journalists, he said that the wounded camera man could have been killed, and that this should make them think about their movements and attitude during such operations.
The governor added that “the fight against terrorism is a psychological activity, and we all have responsibility.” Refering to the criticism in the media, he said that security forces had to be kept away from publications and broadcasts that lowered their morale. “If there were mistakes, the police is best equipped to evaluate them itself.” (TK/AG)
