Former top general denies claims
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Doğan Güreş denies claims that he said they did not investigate the possibility of the aircraft malfunctioning. Hürriyet photo
Former Chief of Staff Doğan Güreş denied claims that he said they did not investigate the possibility of the aircraft malfunctioning due to threats received from the producer company in the case of Gen. Eşref Bitlis, who died in a plane crash on Feb. 17, 1993.Speaking to daily Sözcü, Güreş said the real reason for the plane crash was icing in the engine. “They are manipulating my testimony. This is a major lie,” he said.
On Feb. 3, the state-owned news channel TRT Haber reported on its website that Güreş told specially authorized Ankara Chief Prosecutor Mehmet Özgür while testifying that the file for the plane crash was closed in short order through an intermediary solution by ruling the plane had crashed due to icing in the engine because the aircraft producer company threatened to halt their sale of planes.
In his latest report, Güreş said the prosecutor asked him questions regarding the plane crash and he responded there were reports that the reason was icing in the engine.
“I was going through the same direction when the plane crashed and I went to the scene of the accident. I was very sorry; I couldn’t help my tears. He was a much loved commander. I am very surprised how these words are reported as if I said them,” Güreş said.
