Turkish court releases man suspected of planning to attack PM
Hurriyet Daily News with wires
refid:11933332 ilişkili resim dosyası
Muammer Altuntas, 45, was picked up at a routine security check at the entrance to a Justice and Development Party, or AKP, rally where Erdogan was due to speak in the northwestern city of
He was being held pending trial on the charge of attempting to kill the prime minister and illegally carrying a firearm. Prosecutors were seeking a 23-year prison term for the would-be attacker, who appeared in court Wednesday where he formally apologized to Erdogan and voiced his regret over the incident, the agency reported. "I had financial problems and saw Prime Minister Erdogan responsible for this," he said at the opening of his trial. During questioning by police, Altuntas, who has lost his wife in 2004, admitted to having psychological problems and confessed to his plan of wanting to shoot Erdogan, who he blamed for the troubles in the country. An investigation concluded Altuntas has no links to any terror organizations. Police also detained five people on suspicion of planning to attack Erdogan during an election rally in the southern city of Adana in March, but they were released without charge after questioning by police. Photo is an archive image.