Kozinoğlu’s grave was exhumed in September.
A forensic examination of the remains of Kaşif Kozinoğlu, a former intelligence operative who died in prison in 2011 under circumstances officially attributed to a heart attack, has uncovered potentially lethal levels of toxic substances, Turkish media reported on Nov. 3.
Kozinoğlu died on Nov. 12, 2011, after falling ill at Silivri Prison in Istanbul, where he was being held in connection with the Ergenekon investigations. Turkish authorities now characterize the case as a conspiracy orchestrated by the FETÖ terrorist organization. His death came shortly before he was due to deliver his defense in court.
Long regarded as suspicious by those close to him, Kozinoğlu’s death is now the subject of a renewed investigation.
Kozinoğlu’s grave was exhumed in September, and samples were collected from his remains for forensic examination.
The latest autopsy findings point to the presence of antimony in samples taken from Kozinoğlu’s hair and fingernails, several media reports said on Nov. 3.
Exposure to high concentrations of the toxic element can cause serious cardiovascular complications, including cardiac arrest.
The reports noted that the remains were already in an advanced stage of decomposition.
One of the most significant findings was the discrepancy between the toxicological results from the body and those from the surrounding soil. While antimony was detected at varying concentrations in the biological samples, none was found in any of the seven soil samples collected from the grave.
Antimony can inflict cellular damage comparable to arsenic poisoning and, in severe cases, prove fatal by causing acute gastrointestinal complications, liver and kidney failure, as well as cardiovascular shock.
So far, 30 people have been subjected to legal proceedings as part of the wider investigation into Kozinoğlu’s death.
Nine suspects have been arrested, among them Ali Işgören, who served as Silivri’s chief public prosecutor at the time.
