International conspiracy

Photographs of what is alleged to be Bilal Erdoğan are floating around on the net. In those photographs, what claims to be the son of Turkey’s absolute ruler Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is seen in a very friendly mode with Yasin al-Qadi, the Saudi businessman, who until 2010 was on the global terror list because of his alleged links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Well since the bald, bold, tall and ever angry man of the country has been on the record vouching for al-Qadi and since the name of the Saudi businessman is lifted from the list of most notorious terrorists, why should Turks be bothered with such photos? After all, was it not the Turkish media that reported al-Qadi was roaming around in cars belonging to the Turkish prime ministry and escorted by security?
Al-Qadi might be alleged to be a “secret business partner” of Bilal Erdoğan. It might be claimed that al-Qadi was so “intimate” with Erdoğan Jr. that he even was sitting at board meetings of the BİM retail chain. After all, did we not trust the prime minister? How could he be expected to provide irregular services and benefits in any form to his sons and daughters? This ought to be the work of an international smear campaign aimed at taking down Turkey’s benevolent, tolerant and almighty absolute ruler. Definitely, Turkey must be facing an international conspiracy. Otherwise who would pull Erdoğan Jr. to the table of al-Qadi, take their friendly photographs and serve some media outlets? Plot, definitely facing a plot!

Many of us remember the November operation in Adana. Governor Hüseyin Avni Coş – no, no I shall not comment on his insolent swearing at people – announced at the time that a truck full of howitzers was captured by the security forces. That truck was heading to the Syrian border. The howitzers were probably to be used within the framework of the “humane logistical support” program of Turkey. In the wee days of 2014, this time, the Turkish Gendarmerie captured a truck supposedly belonging to an Islamist charity organization – the one which took hostage Turkish foreign policy with the Mavi Marmara incident – was captured in Hatay, close to the Syrian border. Why did they capture the truck? Because that truck that was supposed to be carrying medical assistance to the Syrian refugees was loaded with all sorts of weapons and ammunition. Interestingly enough, in the pro-government or allegiant media, the issue was either totally ignored or those reporting preferred to attack the media outlets using the news of damaging Turkey’s image. The pro-Fethullah Gülen media initially aligned with the “mainstream media” on the issue, reported the operation and the involvement of the pro-government Islamist charity organization in the scandalous arms trafficking under the disguise of carrying medicine and medical tools.

Is it relevant whether the reporter who first reported the sham had a criminal record with the police?

How many Turkish journalists are there without a criminal record, as it is a crime to talk, write, organize or follow a protest rally, let aside attending one? Some say the Islamist charity organization denied the truck belonged to them. Would they accept and confess under the disguise of charity they are carrying fuel to a fire? Three people are claimed to have been detained by the gendarmerie. One of the three was apparently trying to prevent the gendarmerie from searching the truck, shouting he belonged to National Intelligence and the gendarmerie was intervening with an intelligence operation.

The charges are serious. Can we still say this is part of an international conspiracy to defame Turkey? With this mentality we can only fool ourselves…