Two prayers held for soldier killed in Foça
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
A funeral prayer was performed for Pvt. Ateşli at Haramidere Cemevi. DHA photo
The body of soldier Pvt. Özkan Ateşli, who was killed when a landmine exploded as a military bus was passing on a road in the Aegean city of İzmir’s Foça district Aug. 9, was brought to his family’s home in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district. Two funeral prayers was performed for Ateşli at Haramidere Cemevi and Ataköy Mosque.The deceased soldier’s wife, Dilara Ateşli, burst into tears and felt faint when his body was brought to the home, which was surrounded by Turkish flags. While the remains were being carried to the home, residents unfurled a large Turkish flag and shouted slogans against the attackers. After that, the corpse was brought to Haramidere Cemevi and another ritual of funeral prayer was performed there. His coffin was finally sent to the Fifth Ataköy District Mosque where European Union Minister Egemen Bağış attended the military funeral.
In the mosque’s garden one relative of Özkan Ateşli yelled at Bağış and said, “Enough is enough, my heart burns inside.” Bağış responded, “This place is not a place to riot, this is a place to pray,” adding, “We are trying to solve this [terror problem] every day.”
