The Turkish Revenge Brigade (Turkish: Türk İntikam Tugayı, TİT), also referred as the Turkish Vengeance Brigade,[2] is a militant Turkish nationalist organisation that has used violence against those they perceive as insulting Turkey.[3][4] In the political violence of the 1970s, TİT gained notoriety during political clashes and is believed to be responsible for over 1,000 deaths during this period. After the military coup of 1980, most of its members were arrested. They were later released and utilised by the Turkish military intelligence in operations during the Kurdish-Turkish conflict.[5]
| Turkish Revenge Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Türk İntikam Tugayı | |
| Dates of operation | 1979–present |
| Ideology | Ultranationalism[1] |
| Size | Unknown |
Activity
edit1979
editIn 1979, police arrested a man named Cengiz Ayhan in Mersin on charges of being the leader of the Turkish Revenge Brigade. Ayhan denied the charges and claimed he was falsely accused of involvement in the group due to his opposition to leftist groups in Turkey.[6]
1993
editAccording to Human Rights Watch, the murders of parliamentary deputy Mehmet Sincar and the journalist Ferhat Tepe in 1993 were carried out in TİT's name.[7] Later, it was found that Sincar was assassinated by Kurdish Hezbollah, who intended to assassinate Nizamettin Toğuç.[8]
1996
editIn 1996, it is reported that they were involved with the murder of Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adalı.[9]
1998
editTİT claimed responsibility for an armed attack in 1998 on the then Turkish Human Rights Association president, Akın Birdal, in which he was critically wounded.[10][11] The perpetrator was the TİT's leader, Mehmet Cemal Kulaksızoğlu received a diplomatic passport by rogue National Intelligence Organization officer, Yavuz Ataç. That time Mehmet Cemal Kulaksızoglu never serve with Ataç but they were close friends. The boss of Kulaksizoglu was Mehmet Eymür.[12]
2005
editHuman Rights Association President, Eren Keskin and two HRA board members received death threats while in Istanbul.[13]
2008
editIn 2008, a man named Vatan Bölükbaşı was arrested during the Ergenekon trials. Bölükbaşı later identified himself as a member of TİT and said that he is moving by orders of Veli Küçük.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Turkish ultranationalist militant organization threatens HDP member with death". 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Welcome to East View".
- ^ Haberfeld, Maki R., Joseph F. King and Charles A. Lieberman, Terrorism in Comparative International Context, (Springer Science, 2009), 94.
- ^ Nash, Jay Robert, Great pictorial history of world crime, Vol.2, (Scarecrow Press Inc., 2004), 1606.
- ^ Metelits, Claire, Inside Insurgency: Violence, Civilians, and Revolutionary Group Behavior, (New York University Press, 2010), 154-155.
- ^ "Today's Zaman". Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
- ^ "Turkey: Condemn Threats on Human Rights Defenders". Human Rights Watch. 2005-04-20. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ "Sincar cinayeti çözüldü" (in Turkish). Akşam newspaper. 2001-12-05. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30.
- ^ Nancy J. Woodhull and Robert W. Snyder, Journalists in Peril, (Transaction Publishers, 1998), 3.[1]
- ^ Suicide Terrorism in Turkey:The Workers' Party of Kurdistan, Prof. Dogu Ergil, Countering Suicide Terrorism: An International Conference : February 20–23, (International Policy Institute, 2001), 126.
- ^ "Turkey: Death threats/Fear for safety". Amnesty International. 19 April 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Arikanoglu, Soner (23 August 1998). "Gözler, MİT'çi Ataç'ta". Radikal (in Turkish).
- ^ Turkey, Human Rights Watch World Report 2006, (Seven Stories Press, 2006), 409.[2]
- ^ "Ergenekon'un hücresi TİT". birgun.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 2020-11-10.