Ankara terror attack perpetrators not left unpunished

It has been five years since the deadly terror attack in the Turkish capital Ankara that claimed 29 lives and injured 75 others.

According to information compiled by Anadolu Agency, the PKK terror group was cornered by intensive operations by security forces. As a result, they attacked civilian officers and military personnel in a car bombing on Feb. 17, 2016.

There were also civilians among the fatalities in the attack in Merasim Street which sent shockwaves across Turkey. Many vehicles and buildings were also damaged.

The bomb attack was carried out by PKK terrorist Abdulbaki Somer, codenamed Zinar-Raperin, who entered Turkey from Syria.

Prosecutors in Ankara said the attack was claimed by PKK-affiliated TAK and carried out based on instructions from senior PKK operatives.

They sought 30 aggravated life sentences for 68 suspects, including PKK ringleaders Zubeyir Aydar, Cemil Bayik, Murat Karayilan, Fehman Huseyin and Remzi Kartal, as well as for the group's Syrian offshoot PYD's ringleader Salih Muslim. Arrest warrants were issued for 48 people, including the ringleaders.

PERPETRATORS COULD NOT GET AWAY

The hearing at the Heavy Penal Court No. 14 in Ankara started on March 14, 2017 and concluded on Sept. 10, 2018.

According to the verdict, Kudbettin Onur, Ahmet Karaman, Muharrem Canikli, Hayrettin Tomak, Huseyin Karadas and Metin Aslan received heavy life terms each for disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state, and 29 aggravated life sentences each for deliberately killing 29 people.

The convicts were also given 1,185 years in prison each for attempted murder against 75 people and possessing and transferring explosive materials. They were also fined 33,320 Turkish lira (over $4,700) each for those crimes.

Defendants Bahri Deniz and Metin Onur received nine years in prison for being a member of the terrorist organization.

Over fraud charges, Mustafa Bulut, Turgut Kahraman, Huseyin Gokduman, Murat Karacan, Ismail Ipar, Metin Cura and Hasan Avsan were given six years in prison and 12,000 Turkish lira (over $1,700) judicial fine each.

Defendants Serdar Bulut and Ugur Yuce were acquitted from all charges.

The files of 50 fugitive defendants, including so-called senior members of the PKK, were separated.

TERRORISTS PAY FOR ATTACK

As part of domestic security operations, gendarmerie forces in the southeastern Diyarbakir province launched an air-backed operation on July 19, 2019. Terrorist Ishak Ozcaktu, codenamed Erhan Prosipi, who planned, organized and instructed the bomb attack in Merasim Street, was neutralized in Lice's rural areas.

Following the operation, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter: "Porsipi. Tonight I'll sleep comfortably. We were after him for a long time. Inonu Stadium, Merasim Street, Kayseri, Istanbul, we took revenge of all of them."

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU - has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.