26 07 2007 - Plans to assassinate Armenian and Greek Patriarchs revealed

Plans to assassinate Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan, Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew and Turkish Jewish businessman Ýshak Alaton were found on a computer belonging to Bekir Öztürk, head of the National Forces Association (Kuvva-i Milliye).

Today's Zaman informs referring to the Gazeteport Internet news portal that the ultra-nationalist organization could have carried out these plans during the presidential election if either Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan or another Justice and Development Party (AK Party) member were to have been elected president.

The report said the assassination plans found on Öztürk's computer were part of the ongoing Ümraniye investigation. It was noted that the public prosecutor's office has demanded an increase in security measures from the Security General Directorate to protect Mutafyan, Bartholomew and Alaton.

After finding 27 hand grenades and other explosives in a slum house in the Ümraniye district of Ýstanbul, the security forces went on to raid Kuvva-i Milliye offices in Ankara, Konya, Bursa and Balýkesir over the past week. A total of five people, including Öztürk, have now been arrested in connection with the investigation.


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