DW: Close confidant of Erdogan linked to protests against Armenian Genocide Resolution in Germany
A Turkish parliamentarian has provided money to a boxing gang in Germany to buy weapons, organize protests and go after critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Deutsche Welle reported citing local media.
Metin Kulunk, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and close confidant of Erdogan, directly and indirectly provided money to the Turkish nationalist Osmanen Germania, according to research by Frontal 21, an investigative news program on public broadcaster ZDF and the daily Stuttgarter Nachrichten.
The investigation was based on German police phone taps and surveillance of the group leaked to the news organizations.
It suggests a relationship between Osmanen Germania and Kulunk, as well as the Turkish intelligence agency MIT, the AKP's European lobby and Erdogan himself.
Osmanen Germania describes itself as a boxing club and "brotherhood," but authorities have long suspected it of being involved in criminal activity and violence. It is estimated to have 20 chapters and 2,500 members in Germany.
According to police investigations, Osmanen Germania was instructed by Kulunk to go after Kurds and critics of Erdogan living in Germany. He also allegedly organized protests against last year's Armenian Genocide Resolution passed by the German parliament.
The source noted in June 2016, specialists from the Hamburg criminal office observed Kulunk personally hand Bagci two envelopes in Berlin. The envelopes were believed to be full of money.
Moments later Kulunk called Erdogan and organized protests against the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the German parliament. Osmanen Germania participated in the protests.
The investigative report highlights that "the long arm of Erdogan has not disappeared in Germany," said Green Party co-chair Cem Özdemir.
Newsfeed
Videos
Artur Vanetsyan: I think you'll see me more often at various events in future
