Ağar fails to show at Susurluk trial

Mehmet Ağar, former interior minister and leader of the True Path Party, or DYP, did not appear in court and a health report was submitted in his absence.

Ağar’s lawyers said their client could not attend court due to health reasons, but would present arguments at the next hearing. The court stated it would send the file to the 11th High Criminal Court which hears cases related to organized crime and terrorism.

The Susurluk scandal broke out after a car accident in 1996 led to the discovery of links between the government, the police and organized crime.

Ağar is charged with forming a criminal organization and of abusing his power. However, he initially could not be tried due to immunity provisions. His failure to enter Parliament after the July 2007 parliamentary elections paved the way for his case to be heard.

Meanwhile, pro-government daily Star carried a headline yesterday on the trial thought likely to reveal links with the Ergenekon case.

During an interview in 1996, Ağar said the state had performed many secret operations that he would not reveal. "I would not throw away Turkey’s 100-year struggle, because of personal problems," he said, adding that he would not speak unless the National Intelligence Agency, or MİT, or the state asked him to. He also made statements implying the state had a role in the assassination of journalist Uğur Mumcu.

When documents related to the assassination were revealed to have been falsified by him, Ağar said, "If you pull out one brick, the issue is solved, but the wall collapses and I remain under it."

Member of the Susurluk Committee and former deputy, Fikri Sağlar, said Ağar was the person who could take the initiative in the case.

The scandal at Susurluk
On Nov. 3, 1996 reports said a car had rearended a truck driven by Hasan Gökçe. Mehmet Özbay, Police Chief Hüseyin Kocadağ and model Gonca Us died in the accident, and True Path Party (DYP) deputy from Şanlıurfa Sedat Edip Bucak was injured. It was later noted that Özbay was a alias used by right-wing militant Abdullah Çatlı, the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant for the killing of seven left-wing students. The media interpreted the accident as proof that there were illicit links between politicians, police and mafia.

The prosecutors maintained that a group of individuals believing it was impossible to deal with people helping terrorist groups in legal fashion had decided to form a group and demanded suspension of the immunity of Bucak and Mehmet Ağar, who resigned as interior minister after the crash. Most of the trials ended with verdicts of not guilty.

The Susurluk scandal, as the matter is called these days, still creates concern. Ağar was re-elected to Parliament in 2002 as an independent but his bid as the DYP leader in the 2007 elections ended with defeat, opening way for his trial.