Turkish mafia leader says he organized attack on daily Hürriyet in 2015 upon AKP MP's request

Turkish mafia leader Sedat Peker has said that he organized the attack on the daily Hürriyet in 2015 upon a lawmaker's request. According to Peker, a deputy from the AKP called him and asked him to send his men to the building to carry out the attack.

Thursday May 20 2021 10:38 am

A group consisting of ultranationalists is seen in front of the daily Hürriyet building in Istanbul's Bağcılar in this photo dated 2015. The group then attacked the building with rocks and sticks.

Duvar English

Turkish mafia leader Sedat Peker has admitted that he organized the attack on the daily Hürriyet building in Istanbul's Bağcılar in 2015, adding that he did so upon a request from a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy.

In a YouTube video filled with significant accusations against former and current politicians, as well as businessmen, Peker said that he helped the Demirören Holding purchase the media assets of Doğan Group, including the daily Hürriyet, once deemed mainstream, through the attack on Sept. 7, 2015.

"Demirören's team, are you listening? I organized the attack on your newspaper's building," Peker said in the video released on May 20, adding that the phone signals of the deputy he mentioned without giving a name can be checked to prove his claims.

"The deputy said, 'A group from our youth branch will go to the newspaper's building, but they're not professionals. Can you send your men?' I accepted and sent them," the mafia leader said.

A pro-government and ultranationalist group attacked the daily Hürriyet's building to protest its coverage of an interview of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Then-AKP youth branch chair Abdurrahim Boynukalın was seen provoking the crowd to attack the building.

Peker also claimed that the attack was crucial in Aydın Doğan's decision to sell his company's media assets.

"Aydın Doğan is an old man. He was fearing death while struggling with court cases. He wanted to prevent his children from adopting problems after his death," he said.

Addressing pro-government businessman and Demirören Holding CEO Yıldırım Demirören, Peker said, "I contributed to you getting your seat."

"I will follow you step by step wherever you go," Peker added.

Peker, a pan-Turkist and Turanist organized crime boss, has been spilling deep state secrets for the past month in a bid to seek revenge on his past comrades.

Peker has made numerous allegations against current and former political figures apparently as a way to take revenge against Turkey's move to probe him and his gang. Those accused include Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, former minister Mehmet Ağar and his son AKP deputy Tolga Ağar, as well as the "Pelican Group," an organization operating as a state within the state that's believed to be led by former Finance Minister Berat Albayrak's brother Serhat Albayrak.