Turkey opens legal proceedings for US embassy shooting

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül has given a go ahead to legal proceedings against four U.S. Embassy shooting suspects on the charges of carrying out a hostile act against a foreign state.

The Chief Prosecutor's Office in capital Ankara had sent a request for starting legal proceedings, according to information gathered by Anadolu Agency.

The summary of proceedings was based on article 306 of the Penal Code, which requires permission from the justice minister.
The suspects Ahmet Çelikten, Osman Gündaş, Ersin Bayram and T.B.K. were involved in the drive-by shooting on Aug. 20 in capital Ankara.

Investigations reveal the suspects Gundas and Bayram had communicated with FETÖ through cellphones.

The anti-terror branch of Ankara's Security Directorate found that Gündaş shared videos of Fetullah Gülen, the ringleader of the group behind the July 2016 defeated coup.

It also found out that Bayram downloaded smartphone applications linked to the organization.

According to the Ankara Governor's Office, Çelikten and Gündaş confessed to their involvement in the attack.

Footage from city surveillance cameras show that Çelikten and Gündaş scouted the area outside the embassy building 20 minutes before the attack.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen is believed to have orchestrated the defeated coup which left 251 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary