Weapon found in the minaret of Iliopetra (Göynüklü) mosque in Western Thrace

Halit Habip Oğlu: “As ABTTF while we wish good recovery to imam Sabri Emin Kahya, we would like to emphasize that as Western Thrace Turks we are always against violence and terrorism.”

At the mosque in Iliopetra (Göynüklü) village in the province of Xanthi in Greece, the public prosecutor and police made a search upon a denouncement. At the search conducted on 28 March 2017, in a backpack two unlicensed guns, one muffler and bullets belonging to these guns were found in the minaret. According to the news of Gündem newspaper, while Sabri Emin Kahya, imam of the mosque was detained, his hunting rifle namely “flobber” confiscated at the search made by the police in his home. The Imam Sabri Emin Kahya taken to Xanthi Police Department and questioned stood trial on 29 March 2017 and released due to failure of evidence. And the prosecution started by the Xanthi Public Prosecutor’s Office related to the weapons found at the mosque continues.

Related to the subject matter, Halit Habip Oğlu, President of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated: “First we wish good recovery to imam Sabri Emin Kahya. If the recent increase in political oppression and intimidation against Western Thrace Turks is taken into consideration, leaving weapons at a visible point in the minaret where tens of people visit for worshipping every day, brings along many questions as well. This incident, that took place in the village of Iliopetra (Göynüklü) in Xanthi, is the last scene of the play targeting to embrangle the Turkish community of Western Thrace and it is fully a product of a conspiracy. We would like to emphasize that Western Thrace Turks have never been involved in acts of violence in history and have always and absolutely been against violence and terrorism and we expect this incidence to be enlightened at the soonest”.