Turkish prosecutors say Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) leader Fetullah Gülen incited the murder of Necip Hablemitoğlu, a Turkish academic shot dead outside his home in 2002. He is among the suspects named in an indictment being prepared against several figures, including former military officers.

Hablemitoğlu, known for his exposé of FETÖ and a book detailing shady activities of German nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Türkiye, was murdered by unknown gunmen and culprits of the murder have remained elusive for years.

The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the capital Ankara had renewed the investigation into the murder before it was shelved due to statute limitations. The renewal was based on a correspondence of a police officer linked to FETÖ, who sought to track down the phone contacts of Hablemitoğlu. Soon, the investigation expanded and an international arrest warrant was issued for Nuri Gökhan Bozkır, a former soldier who was later detained in Ukraine. Extradited to Türkiye, Bozkır was arrested on charges of membership in a criminal organization and homicide. His testimony led to more arrest warrants, against fellow former military officers, including former Col. Levent Göktaş, who was recently detained in Bulgaria. Currently, four military officers are in custody.

Prosecutors also included Enver Altaylı, a former intelligence officer, in the case. Altaylı, who was arrested in another case against FETÖ and sentenced to 23 years, was linked to Mustafa Özcan, a senior FETÖ figure accused of masterminding the murder. Prosecutors say Levent Göktaş established the connection between a criminal organization, which include officers like him, and FETÖ. Özcan was also included in the indictment.