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PM Erdogan Continues Attacks And Threats On Turkey’s Largest Media Group For Reporting On Islamist Charity’s Fraud Case On Trial In Germany Implicating AKP
Throughout the past week PM Erdogan has lashed out at Turkey’s largest media group for publishing the details of the Deniz Feneri [Lighthouse] corruption case being tried in Germany, rather than investigating the fraud allegations that implicate him and his party. Erdogan slammed Aydin Dogan, owner of Dogan media group that owns major Turkish newspapers such as Hurriyet, Milliyet, Vatan, Radikal, Turkish Daily News, as well as some TV channels, and claimed that Dogan was trying to link him and his party to the fraud case in order to put pressure on his government to receive favors that would advance his business interests. The prosecutors of the case heard by Frankfurt District Court charged the “Lighthouse” Islamic charity of embezzlement of the donations collected from members of the large Turkish community in Germany, of fraud and money laundering, and of making illegal financial transactions funneling millions of Euros to pro-AKP, Islamist media organs in Turkey. Two suspects indicted in the case have claimed that high level Turkish officials, including Zahid Akman, the AKP appointed head of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) were involved in the deception. Akman was said to have couriered millions of Euros in cash to Turkey, including the Prime Minister’s office. Source: Hurriyet, Turkish Daily News, Sabah, Turkey, September 7-12, 2008
Posted at: 2008-09-15
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