Interior minister visits MHP leader Bahçeli, MHP dismisses suspect in Sinan Ateş case

Turkish gov’t ally MHP has dismissed its leader Bahçeli’s advisor Olcay Kılavuz, one of the suspects in the murder of former Grey Wolves head Sinan Ateş. The move came after Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya’s visit to MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, and Kılavuz’s recent comments on the murder.

Wednesday May 29 2024 01:19 am

This file photo shows MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli (L) and Olcay Kılauvuz (R)

Duvar English

Turkish government ally, far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on May 28 dismissed Olcay Kılavuz from his advisor role to the MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli.

Kılavuz is one of the suspects in the murder of Sinan Ateş, former head of the ultra-nationalist far-right Grey Wolves connected to the MHP.

Kılavuz’s recent comments about the murder reportedly angered MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, Seyhan Avşar from Halk TV reported on May 28.

Kılavuz told Avşar on May 24 that “They want to draw us into these events with various attacks and accusations. I am the one who is most upset and victimized by (the murder). With my honor and dignity, we can neither consent, nor be involved in, nor would we want such a thing for someone who has served in an institution such as the Grey Wolves for many years. This is a terrible thing, even despicable.”

“God damn those involved in this. It is not possible for me to be involved in this. More than anyone else, I would like to see every aspect of this case exposed,” he added.

Kılavuz allegedly owned the house where Tolgahan Demirbaş, who helped the Sinan Ateş’s shooter flee, was detained. The shooter Eray Özyağcı said in his testimony that he could not flee Turkey as he was beaten by Greek security forces after crossing the border.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya visited MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli on May 28 at the Parliament.

Yerlikaya briefed Bahçeli on “the actions of his ministry in the last year, their fight against terrorism, gangs, and organized crime organizations,” Habertürk reported.

The murder of Sinan Ateş

Ateş, former Grey Wolves head, was assassinated by two people on a motorcycle while leaving a building on Dec. 30, 2022, in the capital Ankara.

He was the head of Grey Wolves, a group of far-right ultra-nationalist Turks known as “Ülkü Ocakları” in Turkish, between 2019 and 2020. He became the head of Grey Wolves upon MHP leader Bahçeli’s instruction.

Ateş resigned from his duty on April 2, 2020 at the request of Bahçeli and started working as an academic at Hacettepe University, Department of History.

Some of Ateş’s family members claimed that he was murdered within the knowledge of MHP officials.