- In the trunk of the car, used in the 19th bombing on November 9, 2005, bombs and other weapons were found, and attacks similar to Semdinli have been (could not be) carried out since..
- The assailants bombing Umut Bookstore were found to be non-commissioned army officers Ali Kaya, Ozcan Ildeniz, and Veysel Ates, an informant of PKK, or the Kurdish Workers' Party, a terror organization.
- The automobile of the prosecutor Harun Ayik, in charge of the investigation, was fired at, killing one passenger and wounding four others, while the prosecutor escaped unscathed. The gunman later was identified as Sergeant Tansu Cavus of , Gendarmerie. Van prosecutor Ferhat Sarikaya was assigned to investigate the case.
- Turkish media labeled the incident in Semdinli Susurluk II.
- A day after the event Chief of Military Staff Hilmi Ozkok drawing attention to the legal proceedings, said, “I would neither accuse nor defend the suspect.”
- The commander of the armed forces, Yasar Buyukanit, on the other hand came on the side of the suspect, saying, “I know Ali Kaya; he is a good boy. However, he has committed a crime, he may pay for it.” Buyukanit’s statement opened the door to new debates in the public and press.
- Van prosecutor Sarikaya’s indictment document was headlined in Sabah and Milliyet newspapers. The headlines on March 5, 2006 were: “Shocking Charge against Gen. Buyukanit,” (Milliyet), “Shocking Charge,” (Sabah).
- Following these two impertinent headlines, debates shifted to a different area. Although not the main points in the indictment document, implication of a name and subsequent referral of a subject to military prosecution overshadowed Semdinli case.
- The indictment was admitted by the court and a case against the suspects was opened.
-Ignoring the recommendation of the Semdinli Commission-formed to investigate the Semdinli case-- that Sarikaya should receive only a slap on the wrist, the High Council of Judges and Prosecutor (HSYK) fired Sarikaya and disbarred him. Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek did not attend HSYK meeting. Semdinli Commission characterized the High Council’s decision as: “Death by hanging for a traffic violation.”
- At the first Court hearing, parts of the evidence on General. Buyukanit were not read, to which the defense attorneys objected.
- Several plain-clothes men, claimed to be relatives of the suspects, entered the courtroom. The lawyers demanded an ID check in the court room. The alleged men were identified as members of the intelligence office from the Gendarmerie.
- Trial proceedings were closely followed by the European Union, Amnesty International, and world press.
- The evidence in indictment document was tempered with, and the crime was determined to be committed by a member of an armed gang...” rather than “an attack on he state, which the unaltered evidence would call for.
- Taken ill, defendant Ali Kaya was transferred to Gulhane military hospital.
- The case was concluded on June 19, 2006, and suspects were sentenced to 39.5 years in prison.
- The verdict was a majority decision. The dissenting judge argued that the suspects should be tried for crimes committed against the state, and called for a more severe penalty.
- Sentence of 39.5 years was headlined the newspapers. Some suggested the sentence to be light, while other said too harsh. Some even criticized the court for its ruling as “too quick,” and lambasted the judges. Those who claimed the verdict was reached too quickly brought up the subject of military appointments in August..
- Confused public demanded, “The investigation of the matter should continue to the end,” and Susurluk II comparison stuck with the case.
- Now, everyone is trying to make sense out of all this mess. Perhaps for now only a chronological listing of events is best. In any event, history will record the events to come.
June 22, 2006
