Mehmet Eymür
Encyclopedia
Mehmet Eymür is a retired Turkish
intelligence official. He led the counter-terrorism
department of the National Intelligence Organization
(MIT), which he joined as a student in 1965 as a "pursuit officer" . He was the right-hand man for the MIT deputy undersecretary Hiram Abas, who was assassinated in Kadikoy
, Istanbul
after leaving the service.
Eymür is writing a series called Teşkilat ("Organization") about MİT and its Counter-Terrorism Department.
. He was forced to resign on 10 June 1988 due to pressure. The MIT said the report was prepared without proper authorization. His colleague Hiram Abas, who was also discharged at the time, was critical of Eymür for divulging information.
Eymür subsequently entered the ice producing business in Antalya
with a MİT colleague called Korkut Eken, however this partnership ended after five years on acrimonious terms.
became prime minister, Eymür was appointed chief of the Special Intelligence Department . Next came the Operations Department , where he was deputy chief to Şenkal Atasagun. The two did not get along, so Eymür asked the undersecretary, Sönmez Köksal, for a different position. On 31 January 1995, he was moved to the newly-established Counter-Terrorism Department. The department, created on Çiller's orders, was active in the Turkish-PKK conflict. Eymür said he almost had the PKK's leader, Abdullah Öcalan
, assassinated, but failed due to irresponsible management of fiscal resources and sabotage (external, and inside the agency). In a testimony to the Susurluk commission, Hanefi Avci, former chief of the police force's intelligence department, said that Eymür's "gang" was illegal.
Following the scandal, Eymür prepared what has come to be known as the Second MİT Report (the first was in 1987), based on the "Askar Simitko
, Lazım Esmaeili
and Tarık Ümit incident" file from his Counter-Terrorism Department. This report was controversial for being prepared without authorization, and then leaked.
Avni Özgürel of Radikal
says that the Counter-Terrorism Department was preceded by the Special Intelligence Department led by Hiram Abas. Çiller created an intelligence organization separate from the MİT subservient to her, called the Public Security Department . Upon hearing news of unsavory activity from the organization, president Süleyman Demirel
had it dismantled.
When Mesut Yılmaz
replaced Çiller as prime minister, he ordered the fifty-person department dissolved. Eymür assigned to Washington, D.C.
as a MİT representative to U.S. intelligence agencies and security firms. He also faced criminal charges in Turkey. Yılmaz said that the MİT strongly opposed Eymür's gang, and that such illegal activities now take place in the General Directorate of Security
(police force) instead. Yılmaz said that the illegal group was loyal to Fethullah Gülen
, a notable religious figure.
Eymür returned to Turkey in 1998 to help prepare a report against Atasagun, then the undersecretary of the MİT, who had recommended Eymür's dismissal and the dissolution of his Counter-Terrorism Department to Prime Minister Yılmaz in 1997.
Eymür finally left the MİT in 1999, and moved to McLean, Virginia
; the seat of the CIA.
He says he would entertain offers to consult the CIA as a terrorism expert.
; the mysterious figure, who helped launch the Ergenekon investigation. Eymür vehemently denies any connection.
. Eymür joined the agency after completing TED Ankara Koleji
. He attended the İstanbul Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences .
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
intelligence official. He led the counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
department of the National Intelligence Organization
National Intelligence Organization
The National Intelligence Organization is the governmental intelligence organization of Turkey. It was established in 1965 to replace the National Security Service....
(MIT), which he joined as a student in 1965 as a "pursuit officer" . He was the right-hand man for the MIT deputy undersecretary Hiram Abas, who was assassinated in Kadikoy
Kadiköy
Kadıköy is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of İstanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus...
, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
after leaving the service.
Eymür is writing a series called Teşkilat ("Organization") about MİT and its Counter-Terrorism Department.
Career
Eymür gained fame for taking down numerous gangster in the "Godfathers Operation" while heading the Smuggling Department, in concert with Atilla Aytek of the police force's smuggling department . He prepared the controversial 1987 MIT Report that targeted former high ranking civil servants and politicians such as Nevzat Ayaz, Ünal Erkan and Mehmet AğarMehmet Agar
Mehmet Kemal Ağar is a Turkish former police chief, politician, government minister and leader of the Democratic Party.-Early years:...
. He was forced to resign on 10 June 1988 due to pressure. The MIT said the report was prepared without proper authorization. His colleague Hiram Abas, who was also discharged at the time, was critical of Eymür for divulging information.
Eymür subsequently entered the ice producing business in Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
with a MİT colleague called Korkut Eken, however this partnership ended after five years on acrimonious terms.
Susurluk period
When Tansu ÇillerTansu Çiller
Tansu Penbe Çiller is a Turkish economist and politician. She was Turkey's first and only female Prime Minister.- Early career :She is the daughter of a Turkish governor of Bilecik province during the 1950s. She graduated from the School of Economics at Robert College after finishing the American...
became prime minister, Eymür was appointed chief of the Special Intelligence Department . Next came the Operations Department , where he was deputy chief to Şenkal Atasagun. The two did not get along, so Eymür asked the undersecretary, Sönmez Köksal, for a different position. On 31 January 1995, he was moved to the newly-established Counter-Terrorism Department. The department, created on Çiller's orders, was active in the Turkish-PKK conflict. Eymür said he almost had the PKK's leader, Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
, assassinated, but failed due to irresponsible management of fiscal resources and sabotage (external, and inside the agency). In a testimony to the Susurluk commission, Hanefi Avci, former chief of the police force's intelligence department, said that Eymür's "gang" was illegal.
Following the scandal, Eymür prepared what has come to be known as the Second MİT Report (the first was in 1987), based on the "Askar Simitko
Askar Simitko
Askar Simitko, alternative spellings use "Asgar" and/or "Smitko", was a Kurdish Iranian spy operating in Turkey. He was found tortured and shot dead by unknown persons in Istanbul....
, Lazım Esmaeili
Lazim Esmaeili
Lazım Esmaeili was a Kurdish Iranian spy operating in Turkey, who was found tortured and shot dead by unknown persons in Istanbul.Esmaelli was born 1945 in Urmia in Iran as a son of Selim....
and Tarık Ümit incident" file from his Counter-Terrorism Department. This report was controversial for being prepared without authorization, and then leaked.
Avni Özgürel of Radikal
Radikal
Radikal is a daily Turkish language newspaper, published in Istanbul. It has been published since 1997 by Aydın Doğan's Doğan Media Group ....
says that the Counter-Terrorism Department was preceded by the Special Intelligence Department led by Hiram Abas. Çiller created an intelligence organization separate from the MİT subservient to her, called the Public Security Department . Upon hearing news of unsavory activity from the organization, president Süleyman Demirel
Süleyman Demirel
Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel, better known as Süleyman Demirel , is a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister seven times and was the ninth President of Turkey.-Life:Demirel was born in İslamköy, a town in Isparta Province...
had it dismantled.
When Mesut Yılmaz
Mesut Yilmaz
Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz is the former leader of the Motherland Party and was the Turkish prime minister in the 1990s.Mesut Yılmaz was a rising star in the Motherland Party of Turgut Özal, representing the Black Sea province of Rize in the parliament and serving as tourism minister in Ozal's cabinet...
replaced Çiller as prime minister, he ordered the fifty-person department dissolved. Eymür assigned to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as a MİT representative to U.S. intelligence agencies and security firms. He also faced criminal charges in Turkey. Yılmaz said that the MİT strongly opposed Eymür's gang, and that such illegal activities now take place in the General Directorate of Security
General Directorate of Security
The General Directorate of Security are the civilian police force responsible for law enforcement in Turkey.-Structure:In the provinces, it operates under the command of governors and district governors . Civil administrators are responsible for the security and wellbeing of towns and districts...
(police force) instead. Yılmaz said that the illegal group was loyal to Fethullah Gülen
Fethullah Gülen
Muhammed Fethullah Gülen is a Turkish preacher, author, educator, and Sufi Muslim scholar living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania . He is the founder and leader of the Gülen movement...
, a notable religious figure.
Eymür returned to Turkey in 1998 to help prepare a report against Atasagun, then the undersecretary of the MİT, who had recommended Eymür's dismissal and the dissolution of his Counter-Terrorism Department to Prime Minister Yılmaz in 1997.
Eymür finally left the MİT in 1999, and moved to McLean, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
; the seat of the CIA.
He says he would entertain offers to consult the CIA as a terrorism expert.
Ergenekon
Most recently, he has been mentioned numerous times in the Turkish press as being the superior of Tuncay GüneyTuncay Güney
Tuncay Güney , code name "Ipek" , is a Turkish citizen who claims to have infiltrated the Turkish Gendarmerie's intelligence organization JITEM, Ergenekon, the Workers' Party, and the Gülen movement before being outed. He is subordinate to Mehmet Eymür, who was discharged from the National...
; the mysterious figure, who helped launch the Ergenekon investigation. Eymür vehemently denies any connection.
Personal life
He has a spouse called Janset; a son, Alp, and a daughter, Ayşe. His father, Mazhar, was a member of the MİT's progenitor, the National Security Service (MAH). He took part in suppressing the Dersim rebellionDersim Rebellion
The Dersim rebellion was an uprising against the Turkish government in the Dersim region of eastern Turkey, which includes Tunceli Province, Elazığ Province, and Bingöl Province...
. Eymür joined the agency after completing TED Ankara Koleji
TED Ankara Koleji
Ankara Koleji is a foundation school in Ankara, Turkey. Founded on January 31, 1928 by Türk Eğitim Derneği it quickly became popular among the elite of the young republic...
. He attended the İstanbul Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences .
External links
- Personal Web site: Anadolu Türk İnterneti