SSS, DMI begin probe
Airline: We follow international law in ammunition supplies
Did Turkish Airlines ship weapons to unknown groups in Nigeria? If yes, were the weapons given to fundamentalists in the North-East who are killing security agents and civilians almost on a daily basis? Who are the arms smugglers, the financiers and the middlemen? These were questions security agents in Nigeria and Turkey tried to find answers to yesterday as the airline battled to defend its integrity in the arms shipment scandal.
On Tuesday, an Assistant Executive of the airline, Mehmet Karatas, alleged that the airline shipped arms to Nigeria. He told Mustafa Varank, an Adviser to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he felt guilty over the arms shipment. He said: “I do not know whether these (weapons) will kill Muslims or Christians.
I feel sinful.” A top Nigerian government official revealed yesterday that the Presidency has mandated the State Security Service (SSS) and the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to liaise with their counterparts in Turkey to unravel the truth behind the revelation.
“Aside cross-border banditry and some mercenaries who are believed to be fighting alongside Boko Haram members in the North-East, government is worried about the way these people get the sophisticated weapons they are using.
There are many things that the government cannot tell Nigerians now but it is alarming how these guys get the sophisticated weapons they use to kill our people. “SSS and DMI have been mandated to investigate this matter. It is a matter that will not be swept under the carpet,” he said. Turkish Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, headquartered at the Turkish Airlines General Management Building on the grounds of Atatürk Airport in Yeilköy, Bakırköy, Istanbul. With 240 aircraft, it operates scheduled services to 41 domestic and 203 international airports in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. With 244 destinations, the airline is the fourthlargest carrier in the world by number of destinations. With Istanbul Atatürk Airport being the main base, the Turkish carrier has secondary hubs at Esenboa International Airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, and Adnan Menderes Airport. It joined the Star Alliance network on April 1, 2008. With an operational fleet of nine cargo aircraft, the airline’s cargo division serves 47 destinations.
The SSS and the DMI are investigating if one of the cargo aircraft landed in Nigeria with the arms. The airline flies to Lagos every day and to Kano Monday, Friday and Sunday. Meanwhile, the airline defended its integrity yesterday.
The management of the carrier, in a statement to the media, stated that the news from social media and press relating the carriage of arms by Turkish Airlines were causing false valuation on the public opinion. It disclosed that the carriage of arms and military supplies by Turkish Airlines are being made on cargo in the framework of the relevant international law and the International Air Transport Association (AITA) transportation rules, in strict conformity with the official procedures.
According to the carrier, “On the carriage of arms, the forwarders and addressees can send their cargo with Turkish Airlines Cargo through the representative they have designated, after accomplishing the necessary official approval procedure from the relevant state authorities.
Turkish Airlines Cargo effectuates such shipment again in strict conformity with the law and rules of the forwarders’ and addressees’ countries and by taking necessary security measures as are doing the other air carriers.”
“According to our corporate policy, Turkish Airlines is not effectuating the carriage of arms to/from the countries that United Nations Security Council has imposed an arms ban, lacking authority and/or under conflict.” This is also the case for the country mentioned on the news, Turkish Airlines has not effectuated any carriage of arms to that country from Turkey nor from any country.
Source: newtelegraphonline.com
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