KONYA - Çetin Dedeoğulları, the only surviving member of the Dedeoğulları family who were killed in the racist attack, demanded the instigators and those who financed the attack be found in his statement to the prosecutor's office, where he explained that the incident in 2010 was caused by an insult to the Kurds.

 

7 people were killed as a result of the racist attack on the Dedeoğulları family who came to Konya from Kars Meram district of Konya. The murderer Mehmet Altun, who was identified in the only camera footage of the attack on the family, has not been found for 5 days. As part of the investigation carried out by the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Çetin Dedeoğulları, the only survivor of the family, gave a statement about the incident with his lawyer Abdurrahman Karabulut, since he was not at home on the day of the attack. 

 

Speaking to Mesopotamia Agency (MA), Çetin Dedeoğulları said the tension between the two families started back in 2010 when Keleş and Çalık families insulted the Kurds. Dedeoğulları said that he had cameras installed in the family home in order to record the attacks on his family.

 

The full statement of Çetin Dedeoğulları at the prosecutor's office is as follows: "I have been living in England since 2004. I'm in the construction business there. I come to Turkey for the purpose of vacation during the summer holidays. Yaşar and İpek Dedeoğulları are my father and mother. Serap, Metin, Barış, Serpil and Sibel Dedeoğulları are my siblings. This year, I came to Turkey on May 14 or 15  as I remember and stayed with my family until July 26 . An incident occurred between my family and our neighbor Keleş and their relative Çalık family on 12/05/2021, I was not there, I was abroad at that time. As I learned later, the people on the other side attacked my family and as a result of the incident, my brother Metin was seriously injured and my other family members were also injured. There was no other reason for this attack that took place on 12/05/2021 except racism.

 

The first animosity between my family and those on the other side dates back to 2010. My family moved to the house in question 20-25 years ago. In fact, when my family moved here, the other two families were not here yet. My guess is that the other party moved to this house a few years before 2010, after my family. When I learned about the incident that took place on May 12 and came to Turkey a few days later, I had a security camera installed in the building where my family resides. In fact, while installing this camera, I took care to adjust the angle of the cameras to show only our own garden in order not to interfere with the private life of the Keleş family. In the incident that took place on 22/05/2021, I was at my family's house. The incident had already occurred in the morning. Again, the incident occurred because the other party insulted and threatened my family members without any reason.  When I think about it in more detail, although I stated above that I might have installed the security cameras on May 15-16, I now clearly remember that we installed the security cameras on May 24.

 

WE INSTALLED THE CAMERAS TO PROVE THEY ATTACK US

 

Security cameras were not installed in the incident that occurred on 22/05/2021. The purpose of my having the camera installed was to obtain evidence for the possibility of the continuation of the attacks of the other party. As far as I know, apart from these two incidents, which took place in the early hours of 12/05/2021 and 22/05/2021, which I mentioned above, no other incidents occurred between the families. About 4 days before the armed attack that took place on 30/07/2021, I went to my grandfather Rıfat Rıfatoğlu, who lived in Saraçoğlu neighborhood to visit and continue my holiday with him.

 

I WILL FILE A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

 

For this reason, I was not at home during the incident that occurred on 30/07/2021. I was going abroad at that time. I had a flight to Ukraine around 24.00 at night. I traveled to Ankara by train in the afternoon. While I was at the airport, my nephews called me and reported the incident to me. So I went back to Konya. I do not know the person named Mehmet Altun, who is alleged to be the real perpetrator of the armed attack. I personally do not have any information that this person has an enmity with my family. I will file a criminal complaint against those who are involved in the attack against my family in any way.

 

IT ALL STARTED WHEN THEY INSULT THE KURDS

 

There are some points I would like to add regarding the hostility that took place in 2010. Namely, the event that took place on that date has nothing to do with the cat or anything like that. Lütfi Keleş's leased  a field is adjacent to the field my late father Yaşar planted at that time. At that time, Lütfi Keleş asked my father for help with his field work. After the work was done together, they would sit and drink tea and listen to the radio. Lütfi Keleş cursed the Kurds when there was news on the radio about some events in the southeast. When he repeated insulting the Kurds my father insulted him back. He told them PKK and the Kurds are not the same thing. They did not go to the police and dropped the subject there. I heard this from my father. 

 

AYŞE KELEŞ INCREASED THE TENSION

 

I would also like to add this point. After the release of Ayşe Keleş, who was arrested in the incident that took place on 12/05/2021, they continued to harass my family. I learned about this when my sisters told me. My father Yaşar used to state that Ayşe Keleş was constantly trying to raise the tension after she was released. Also, Lütfi's brother Harun had a son who was a jeweler. I do not have clear information on this subject at the moment. However, we believe that this person may have paid for them to attack my family.

 

REQUESTS WILL BE SENT

 

Our lawyer will submit a detailed request petition regarding this issue and other issues that we want to be investigated. I request that the issues that our lawyer will state in this petition be investigated as well.”

 

MA / Berivan Altan