Turkish Revenge Brigade
| Turkish Revenge Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Türk İntikam Tugayı | |
| Dates of operation | 1979–present |
| Ideology | Ultranationalism[1] |
| Size | Unknown |
TheTurkish Revenge Brigade(Turkish:Türk İntikam Tugayı,TİT), also referred as theTurkish Vengeance Brigade,[2]is amilitantTurkish nationalistorganisation that has used violence against those they perceive as insultingTurkey.[3][4]In thepolitical violence of the 1970s,TİT gained notoriety during political clashes and is believed to be responsible for over 1,000 deaths during this period. After themilitary coup of 1980,most of its members were arrested. They were later released and utilised by theTurkish military intelligencein operations during theKurdish-Turkish conflict.[5]
Activity
[edit]1979
[edit]In 1979, police arrested a man namedCengiz AyhaninMersinon charges of being the leader of the Turkish Revenge Brigade. Ayhan denied the charges and claimed he was falsely accused of involvement in the group due to his opposition to leftist groups in Turkey.[6]
1993
[edit]According toHuman Rights Watch,the murders of parliamentary deputyMehmet Sincarand the journalistFerhat Tepein 1993 were carried out in TİT's name.[7]Later, it was found that Sincar was assassinated byTurkish Hezbollah,who intended to assassinateNizamettin Toğuç.[8]
1996
[edit]In 1996, it is reported that they were involved with the murder of Turkish Cypriot journalistKutlu Adalı.[9]
1998
[edit]TİT claimed responsibility for an armed attack in 1998 on the then TurkishHuman Rights Associationpresident,Akın Birdal,in which he was critically wounded.[10][11]The perpetrator was the TİT's leader, Mehmet Cemal Kulaksızoğlu received a diplomatic passport by rogueNational Intelligence Organizationofficer,Yavuz Ataç.That time Mehmet Cemal Kulaksızoglu never serve with Ataç but they were close friends. The boss of Kulaksizoglu wasMehmet Eymür.[12]
2005
[edit]Human Rights Association President,Eren Keskinand two HRA board members received death threats while inIstanbul.[13]
2008
[edit]In 2008, a man named Vatan Bölükbaşı was arrested during theErgenekon trials.Bölükbaşı later identified himself as a member of TİT and said that he is moving by orders ofVeli Küçük.[14]
References
[edit]- ^"Turkish ultranationalist militant organization threatens HDP member with death".31 August 2023.
- ^"Welcome to East View".
- ^Haberfeld, Maki R., Joseph F. King and Charles A. Lieberman,Terrorism in Comparative International Context,(Springer Science, 2009), 94.
- ^Nash, Jay Robert,Great pictorial history of world crime,Vol.2, (Scarecrow Press Inc., 2004), 1606.
- ^Metelits, Claire,Inside Insurgency: Violence, Civilians, and Revolutionary Group Behavior,(New York University Press, 2010), 154-155.
- ^"Today's Zaman".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-01-18.Retrieved2012-02-23.
- ^"Turkey: Condemn Threats on Human Rights Defenders".Human Rights Watch.2005-04-20.Retrieved2008-10-29.
- ^"Sincar cinayeti çözüldü"(in Turkish). Akşam newspaper. 2001-12-05. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-30.
- ^Nancy J. Woodhull and Robert W. Snyder,Journalists in Peril,(Transaction Publishers, 1998), 3.[1]
- ^Suicide Terrorism in Turkey:The Workers' Party of Kurdistan,Prof. Dogu Ergil,Countering Suicide Terrorism: An International Conference: February 20–23,(International Policy Institute, 2001), 126.
- ^"Turkey: Death threats/Fear for safety".Amnesty International.19 April 2005.Retrieved2008-10-29.
- ^Arikanoglu, Soner (23 August 1998). "Gözler, MİT'çi Ataç'ta".Radikal(in Turkish).
- ^Turkey,Human Rights Watch World Report 2006,(Seven Stories Press, 2006), 409.[2]
- ^"Ergenekon'un hücresi TİT".birgun.net(in Turkish).Retrieved2020-11-10.
