An Istanbul court has issued a detailed decision on a bombing incident, stating that the goal of the suspect Ahlam Albashir, who left the bomb on the street, was to create fear and concern in society in order to break Turkey’s unity and territorial integrity, and ultimately establish a so-called independent Kurdish state. The court emphasized that Albashir was a member of the terrorist organization YPG/PYD and was sent to Turkey illegally by a terrorist organization leader named Khalil Manja Hussein to carry out the bombing.
The court revealed that Albashir, along with another terrorist organization member named Bilal el-hacmaos, stayed in the homes of Syrian nationals Ferhat Habeş and Fatma Berkel for 3 weeks in Istanbul, where they continued to live in the workshops. They conducted reconnaissance in areas like Taksim and Fatih to target densely populated civilian areas for maximum casualties. On the day of the explosion, Albashir followed the instructions of the terrorist leader “Hacı” and left the bag at the designated location before leaving the area in a taxi.
The purpose of the attack was deemed to be to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the state and create an atmosphere of panic and fear among citizens, leading to a decrease in societal well-being and comfort levels. It was noted that Albashir deliberately and cold-bloodedly carried out the bombing with the intention of causing loss of life, resulting in 99 injuries rather than deaths. The court found no evidence of remorse on Albashir’s part after committing the crime, leading to the decision not to reduce the sentence.
The court also decided that the charge of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization” did not warrant a separate sentence as it was encompassed by the charge of “damaging the unity and territorial integrity of the state.” The court’s detailed decision highlighted the increasing trend of illegal migrations due to the control of large parts of Syria by imperialist powers, opposition forces, and terrorist organizations, leading to a rise in human trafficking networks facilitated by these entities.
The terrorism organization YPG/PYD was indicated to deploy its trained members, such as Albashir and Bilal el-Hacmaus, to carry out violent attacks and further its goals, with the coordination of human smugglers involved in facilitating illegal border crossings. The court’s decision shed light on the role of terrorist organizations in organizing human trafficking networks for their own interests, enabling individuals to enter Turkey through illegal means and reach European countries.
Following the completion of the trial, the court sentenced the main perpetrator Albashir to multiple life imprisonments for crimes including undermining the unity of the state, intentional murder with explosives, and attempting to murder 99 individuals. Other defendants received varying prison sentences for aiding and participating in the bombing plot, with some individuals acquitted of certain charges due to lack of evidence. Several defendants were also released on bail, while the cases of fugitive individuals were separated for further legal proceedings.
