Individual crashes car into nationalist party headquarters

ANKARA - Hürriyet

Police carried out a search for explosives following the incident. HÜRRİYET photo, Rıza ÖZEL

An individual attempted to crash a car into the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) headquarters in Ankara on Aug. 24. The attack happened only a minute after MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli entered the building through its principal gate.
 
The driver succeeded in getting past the security with the car, however it hit the statue of Turkic Kagan which lies in front of the building’s entrance. The aggressor was detained following his accident. Police carried out a search of the car but did not find any explosives.
 
The aggressor identified as Murat B. reportedly told security officers that he was a sympathizer of the party and was being chased by people trying to kill him. A woman who filmed the scene with her telephone was taken to the police department for questioning. 
 
Police said that the incident did not seem to be a terror attack according to the first findings and further investigations were being pursued to determine the motive of the assailant.
 
MHP Deputy Lütfü Türkkan urged the authorities to disclose the circumstances of the incident, stressing that the attack’s timing, taking place a minute after Bahçeli entered the building, was a cause of concern.
 
“The Interior Ministry has to determine immediately which people or organization are behind the attack. If this is not done and the incident is covered up, the interior minister should expect difficult days in the Parliament,” Türkkan said via Twitter.

'Deranged' and 'sent for attack’
 
Meanwhile, Bahçeli said that the assailant detained by the police was a “deranged person” and “an unfortunate individual” tasked with attacking the building. He also confirmed that no explosives were found in the car.
 
Bahçeli was due to participate in a rally today in the Central Anatolian town of Konya. Party officials said that the program was maintained and the rally was to be held in the afternoon hours.
 
Bahçeli departed for Konya as scheduled, other party officials added.