Bomb experts say hand grenades have an average life expectancy of only 10 years and that grenades which are not used during this period should be destroyed. “Prosecutors should investigate why those grenades were untouched since the 1950s. They should learn why they were still kept in the military’s arsenal,” experts contacted by Today’s Zaman said.
Filled with dozens of weapons and around 900 hand grenades, the civilian truck was stopped by Ankara police in the Ümitköy district last Wednesday. The truck was reportedly taking the munitions to the Special Forces Command in the capital’s Gölbaşı district.
The vehicle was, however, traveling without any security escort for protection. It was stopped by police after they received an e-mail from an unidentified individual. The e-mail alleged that the weapons and hand grenades in the truck were to be distributed to violent groups in eastern and southeastern cities on March 21 during Nevruz, the Kurdish New Year’s celebration. The munitions would be used in clashes between civilians and security forces.
The hand grenades were US products and dated back to between 1952 and 1958.
All eyes are currently on the General Staff to make an explanation as to why the military was keeping more-than-50-year-old grenades. Despite the public’s growing demand for an explanation from the military over the incident, the General Staff has chosen to remain silent on the issue.
