Police deny main opposition CHP’s 'illegal intelligence' allegations

ANKARA

DHA photo

The National Police Directorate has denied the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) claims of collection of unlawful intelligence via an illegal organization called the “Presidential National Security Institution.”

The police said the term is an abbreviation for the “directorate of crimes against the national security branch under the department of anti-smuggling and organized crime” in a written statement on Aug. 9.

The statement came after CHP’s Deputy Leader Bülent Tezcan argued on Aug. 9 that the government is carrying out intelligence activities via illegal and false organizations, showing a court document requesting information from an organization called the “Presidential National Security Unit.”

“There is no institution called the Presidential National Security Unit. It is not legally founded. It is clearly carrying out intelligence activities. It is a crime to collect intelligence by an organization undefined by the law,” said Tezcan, brandishing a document from the Nevşehir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation file on the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

In a written statement, the police directorate stated that the branch office of crimes against national security was formed on May 12, 2016 under the directorate of anti-smuggling and organized crime (KOM).

“Within the framework of the struggle against FETÖ, a data pool which is formed under the KOM is opened to the investigation of related KOM branches in order to meet the requests of the judicial bodies,” it said. 

The police stated that the document has shown KOM as the addressee and the term “presidency” refers to the “department.”

“In order to avoid misinforming the public, the General Directorate of the Police would have provided the necessary information to the honorable lawmaker had they requested information about the issue in the first place,” the statement read.