Weapons bound for Syria transported by 'Humanitarian org' IHH seized in Turkey, Released by written order of governor.(newsnow).
Turkish authorities seized a truck en route to Syria that was carrying weapons Thursday and three people were arrested in the incident, according to Agence France-Presse.
The truck was stopped in Turkey's southern province Hatay that shares a border with Syria.
The drivers said they were "carrying aid on behalf of the pro-Islamic Humanitarian Relief Foundation, IHH." IHH, however, has called the incident "slanderous" and said that it has nothing to do with the case.
Turkish media say that approximately 47 tons of weapons have been sent to Syrian rebels via Turkey since June.
Turkish government authorities have denied sending weapons directly from the government to the rebels despite their open support of the opposition.
Update: Truck released upon Gov order.
A truck laden with weapons bound for Syria have been seized near Syria border and three people including a Syrian arrested, local media reported on Thursday.
Acting on a tipoff, security forces on Wednesday stopped the truck in the southern province of Hatay on the Syrian border, DHA reported.
A significant quantity of ammunition and weapons were discovered in the truck, whose drivers claimed they were carrying aid on behalf of the pro-Islamic Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH). But IHH dismissed the allegations as “slanderous”.“Our organization has nothing to do with this case,” a spokesman for the relief group told AFP.
In December, local media reported that Turkey had shipped 47 tons of weapons to the militants since June. But Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz denied weapons of war had been sent to Syria, saying only hunting rifles had been exported.
Latest reports.
Latest Reports say that the IHH’s Arm Truck Bound for Syria freed even without being investigated by written order of governor. The security forces were not allowed to search and count the arms by MIT officer claiming that they have secret government permission.
Interior Minister’s Order.
The truck claimed to head to Kilis (Syria Neighborhood province) by the written order of the Hatay Governor depending on Interior Ministry although it is an obvious crime of arms smuggling.Hmmmm.....The IHH has a long history of 'contacts' remember the Mavi Marvara.
Update More from HD: Turkish governor blocks police search on Syria-bound truck reportedly carrying weapons
Hatay lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) were among the few politicians who witnessed the seizure and the release of the truck late Jan. 1.
“I talked both to officials and the local gendarmerie commander. The prosecutor came to the scene and instructed them to search the cargo. But law enforcement bodies did not implement [the order] because they received a written instruction from the governor,” CHP Hatay MP Hasan Akgöl told reporters. “Weapons and ammunitions are being sent to Syria under the control of the government and MİT and no one is stopping it.”
Refik Eryılmaz, another CHP Hatay deputy, said weapons and ammunition were being transferred to both al-Qaeda and the Free Syrian Army on a daily basis within the knowledge of government officials.
The conflicting reports about the truck and its cargo pushed the CHP to take the issue to Parliament. Both Umut Oran and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, deputy leaders of the CHP, issued parliamentary questions on the developments, asking the prime minister about the truck’s cargo and destination. “Is it true that MİT personnel were also on the truck?” asked Oran.
An official document posted on the Radikal’s website showed that the truck and its personnel were on a MİT mission and that laws prevented other law enforcement bodies from taking any sort of action without first obtaining consent from the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to the document, Lekesiz’s written instruction warned law enforcement officials that legal action could be taken against them if they stopped MİT personnel in an irregular way. There are claims that police officers who followed the truck and stopped it were removed from their positions after the development. Hmmmmm.....'State sponsor of terrorism'?