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Levent Ersöz

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Levent Ersöz
Born (1954-04-19) April 19, 1954 (age 70)[1]
AllegianceTurkey
Service / branchTurkish Army
Years of service1975-2005
RankBrigadier general
UnitGendarmerie

Levent Ersöz (born 19 April 1954) is a former Turkey brigadier general in the Turkish Gendarmerie, who was head of the Gendarmerie's JITEM intelligence department.[2] He was considered a key defendant in the Ergenekon trials, and on 5 August 2013 was sentenced to 22 years and six months.[3][4] He was released on 11 March 2014.[5] A trial charging Ersöz with the death of Turkish President Turgut Özal in 1993 began in September 2013.[6] Ersöz was found innocent and received an amnesty in March 2016.[7]

Prosecutors have accused Ersöz of being behind the 2001 assassination of Diyarbakır Police Chief Gaffar Okkan and a 2006 attack on Faruk Çelik,[8] and of having had a role in the 1993 death of President Turgut Özal.[9] The prosecution has shown a video of Ersöz talking to Bedrettin Dalan in 2004, saying "You are number three. Why don't you go out and talk like you're number one."[10] Police searching Ersöz' home had found nearly 2500 recordings of conversations.[10]

Prosecutors have charged a hitman with a December 2009 attempt on Ersöz' life, describing it as an attempt to silence Ersöz.[11] Shots were fired into the ceiling during a confrontation between the would-be assassin and gendarmes guarding Ersöz' room.[12]

A suspect in the Ergenekon trials told prosecutors that Ersöz was his instructor in TUSHAD.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Ergenekon indictments
  2. ^ Today's Zaman, 15 January 2009, Fugitive former general Ersöz escapes police raid Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Today's Zaman, 5 August 2013, Long sentences for Ergenekon suspects, life for ex-army chief Archived 2013-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Hurriyet Daily News, 5 August 2013, 17 sentenced to life in Turkey's Ergenekon coup plot trial, including ex-military chief
  5. ^ "Veli Küçük ve Levent Ersöz için de tahliye kararı". 11 March 2014.
  6. ^ Today's Zaman, 11 September 2013, Trial into suspicious death of late president Özal begins Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Turgut Özal'ın ölümü davasında Ersöz'ün beraatine onama".
  8. ^ Today's Zaman, 22 August 2009, Ergenekon suspect Levent Ersöz behind Okkan, Çelik attacks Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Today's Zaman, 16 April 2013, Court accepts indictment seeking life for Ersöz over Özal's death Archived 2013-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ a b Today's Zaman, 1 May 2009, Dalan was Ergenekon’s number three, says prosecution Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Today's Zaman, 3 November 2010, Ergenekon attempted to kill Levent Ersöz to silence him Archived 2011-01-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Today's Zaman, 14 January 2010, Probe into Ersöz assassination attempt deepens Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Today's Zaman, 18 October 2012, Zirve massacre suspect: Ergenekon's armed wing still active Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
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