‘I acted upon a message from God,’ man who attacked Atatürk statue says

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

An arrested attacker of a sculpture of Atatürk (founder of modern Turkey) said that he “acted upon a message from God.”

Mehmet Malbora, wearing traditional religious clothes and a turban, had climbed onto the pedestal of the statue in Siverek’s Cumhuriyet Square and began to hit it with a sickle on July 30. He was arrested by court on July 31.

Malbora confessed his crime but he said that he did not regret it in his testimony during the trial. 

“I harmed the sculpture of Atatürk because of my orders from Allah. Such an order does not come to anybody, I am the chosen one. This order came to me very early. I have been trying to talk to government officials about the solution of the troubles the government has been experiencing for one year,” he said.

Malbora also said his act had been heard all over the world.

“I do not regret it because of the damage I have given to the Atatürk sculpture. Those who believe in Allah do not consider it a crime. I have announced my action to the world. I do not feel shame because of what I do,” he added.

He also accepted that he used drugs but he said that he did it to help drug addicts.

“After leaving the job from the municipality, I have devoted myself to the life of religion. In this period, I used drugs together with drug addicts to prevent them from going on the wrong path,” he said.

Malbora also stated that he was not directed by anyone in conducting this attack.