Breaking news: Espionage investigation! Ekrem İmamoğlu's statement revealed

The investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Ekrem İmamoğlu , Necati Özkan , Merdan Yanardağ and Melih Geçek, who were suspended from their posts as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayors after their arrest, for "espionage" is ongoing.

İmamoğlu, who testified at the prosecutor's office as part of the investigation, said he did not remember knowing suspect Hüseyin Gün , and that he could not recall being shown a photograph by his lawyers after the investigation was launched, but he did remember the visit in question, which was included in the investigation.

İmamoğlu stated, "As far as I remember, this visit was a congratulatory visit after I was elected Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 2019. However, although I remember the visit, I don't remember the name of the woman in the photograph. I only remember that she was elegantly dressed and had a childlike attitude. Aside from this anecdote, as I mentioned, I don't know Hüseyin Gün."

"IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD OF A MESSAGING PROGRAM CALLED 'WICKR ME'"

İmamoğlu was asked whether the person mentioned as "Mayor", "President", "Ekrem President" in the digital materials seized from the suspect Hüseyin Gün on the "Wickr Me" program was himself; who and how the content of the conversations and the data mentioned in these contents were obtained; whether he had instructions or knowledge regarding the provision or sharing of these with institutions and organizations; whether "PPTX" files were sent to him or whether he had instructions for the preparation or preparation of these files.

İmamoğlu answered this question as follows:

"This is the first time I've heard of the messaging program called 'Wickr Me' that you asked about. Therefore, I have never been a member of this program before. In the findings you stated, I do not know whether the person referred to in the correspondences written as 'Mr. Mayor, İmamoğlu, President, Mr. President, Ekrem President' in the content of the correspondences between Necati Özkan, whom you claim to be the user name 'BLUESTAR81,' and Hüseyin Gün, whom you claim to be the user name 'JUPITER1881.' However, my guess is that the name Ekrem İmamoğlu may be me, but I have no connection to these correspondences, and I have no knowledge whatsoever regarding the correspondences alleged to have been made in my name in this way. I am not interested in this matter either. I do not know what is meant by the phrase '150,000-person digital army' that you asked about in the correspondences. However, my guess is that it may have referred to the Istanbul volunteers, but as I have stated before, I do not have knowledge of all the correspondence you have read."

İmamoğlu was asked, "In the open source investigations conducted regarding the 'IBB database copying' statement directed at you, were the data in question the same as those specified in the open source investigation report? Was the data shared in any way? If so, did you give the order? In what way, for what reason, and with whom was it shared? What does the data content include?"

Suspicious İmamoğlu responded, "I wrote the document in question (the document regarding the IMM database) to the Inspection Board Presidency, where I took office as IMM Mayor. The purpose of writing the document in question was to ensure the security of all institutional documents belonging to the IMM, and it had no other purpose."

İmamoğlu stated that he had no knowledge of or connection to the message recordings between Özkan and Gün, saying, "I also have no knowledge of the content of the correspondence in which the person referred to as 'President' in the conversation content stated that I would attend a meeting."

İmamoğlu stated that he had no knowledge of the correspondence between Hüseyin Gün and SA, whom he stated was Gün's adopted mother, and the screenshot of the English texts allegedly sent by Gün to S.A., and the content of the correspondence regarding Gün's alleged meeting with him. He stated that the photo of SA, Hüseyin Gün, and himself was taken for a congratulatory visit.

"REDUCING MY ELECTION CAMPAIGN TO 15 DAYS IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NORMAL FLOW OF LIFE"

After the statement of suspect Hüseyin Gün was read, İmamoğlu continued his statement as follows:

I have no knowledge of the content of the correspondence between Hüseyin Gün and Necati Özkan. As far as I can tell from the dates and the content of the correspondence you've provided, the alleged contact between Necati Özkan and Hüseyin Gün dates back 15-20 days before the election, according to Hüseyin Gün's statement, "late May, early June." Therefore, considering that I was also experiencing intense election traffic at the time, it is impossible for me to know or be involved in any way regarding the contribution made to my election campaign during this 15-20-day contact, or the alleged contact made by Hüseyin Gün with Aaron Barr, a person I don't know. Therefore, I have nothing to say about the content of the statement in question. I have no interest. Furthermore, I do not recall at this time thanking Gün for his alleged assistance during the campaign after he visited me with the person he referred to as his spiritual mother. I thanked many people for being elected president at the time. If he had offered his support, I would have thanked him as a courtesy.

İmamoğlu stated that the statements made about him by Gün were nothing more than absurd interpretations, saying, "As I stated, it is absolutely illogical that the individual, who I understand met Necati Özkan in early June 2019 and who claimed to have helped me with my election campaign, directed and influenced my entire campaign within 15 days. Because I had run a seven-month election campaign at the time. It is simply not in line with the normal flow of life that my entire campaign period was effectively thrown away and reduced to just 15 days. It is illogical that Aaron Barr, who was identified as a CIA operative and who knew how to read the Quran at the age of six, would give me advice on how to treat conservatives. Therefore, I have nothing to say about the statements in question."

İmamoğlu concluded his statement by saying, "I have no knowledge or connection whatsoever to intelligence agencies or their employees. As I stated above, I do not accept the accusations against me. When I examine the second statement, I think it is an absurd accusation. I believe I am facing a conspiracy theory. It is more realistic that I burned Rome."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had announced that Ekrem İmamoğlu and Necati Özkan, who were suspended from their posts as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayors, would be questioned in an investigation launched on charges of "espionage," and that Merdan Yanardağ had been detained as part of the same investigation.

In a statement released by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that the digital materials belonging to suspect Hüseyin Gün, who was arrested on July 4th for "espionage" and was found to have engaged in espionage activities on behalf of foreign countries, conducted his conversations over encrypted phones to maintain confidentiality, and financed internal unrest in various countries, were being examined.

The statement stated that during the investigation, Gün's digital materials contained photographs of military ammunition and weapons that civilians or companies could not possibly obtain, as well as passport photographs of Israeli citizens who were understood to be engaged in military or political activities in Israel.

In the statement, it was stated that, according to the evidence obtained as part of the investigation, the suspected media member Merdan Yanardağ had numerous contacts and correspondences with the suspect Gün regarding "espionage" activities, and that this was also confirmed by witness testimony. It was stated that the suspect Yanardağ organized the press leg of the election process by obtaining benefits from the suspect Gün, that he was involved in activities to manipulate the elections in the 2019 local elections in cooperation with foreign intelligence services, and that in this way, he committed the crime of "espionage."

In the statement, it was reported that warrants were written for suspects İmamoğlu and Özkan, who were arrested for another crime, to be brought to the prosecutor's office from the penal institution where they were held for questioning on the charge of "espionage." It was also reported that suspect Yanardağ was also detained for the same crime and that searches were conducted at Yanardağ's home and workplace.

The statement stated that suspect Hüseyin Gün, who was arrested on July 4th for the crime of "espionage" as part of the investigation, will be brought from prison to the Istanbul Police Department by order of a criminal judge of peace to be interrogated on the charge of "leading a criminal organization" based on the newly obtained evidence. It was also stated that "the investigation will be continued by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office with determination and expansion in cooperation with our National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the Istanbul Police Department."