Report: Turkish military linked to murders of priest, other Christians

September 26, 2013

Intelligence documents unsealed during a Turkish criminal trial have linked the Turkish military to high-profile murders of Christians in 2006 and 2007, according to World Watch Monitor, a news site that reports on the persecution of Christians.

In 2006, Father Andrea Santoro, an Italian missionary priest, was shot at his parish. The following year, Armenian Christian journalist Hrant Dink was murdered, and the Zirve Publishing House massacre took place. During the massacre, two Turkish Christians – both converts from Islam – and a German Christian were tortured before being killed.

Secret military units reportedly planned the murders in order to destabilize the nation and help bring down the government of pro-Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in office since 2003.

 

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Further information:

• Turkish military linked to Christian murders (World Watch Monitor)
• Zirve Publishing House massacre (Wikipedia)
• Hrant Dink (Wikipedia)
• Priest's killing shocks Christians in Turkey (CWN, 2/6/06)