Emails of Russian envoy's assassin deleted hours after attack

The police and chief public prosecutor's investigation into the assassination of Andrey Karlov, the former Russian ambassador to Ankara, continues. The cyber-crimes police force has been able to enter the email account of the attacker, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, who is suspected of being affiliated to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). However, it was discovered that all emails sent and received by Altıntaş from his Gmail account were deleted at around 9:30 p.m., two and a half hours after the attack, by another person.

As a part of the investigation, three of the suspects that were taken into custody following an operation have been arrested while four police officers who were also taken into custody in relation to Altıntaş have been released under judicial control. Following the operation carried out in the apartment that the terrorist Altıntaş resided, the cyber-crimes department seized a computer and a mobile phone.

The password of Altıntaş's mobile phone was cracked with a new sim card. Additionally, the sim card that the suspected FETÖ member used was examined by the cybercrimes division for further information on the assassination and its motives.

Meanwhile, the police discovered that the gunman was using Google's Gmail on his personal computer. The IT specialist who further examined the email account came across a crucial detail that might change the course of the investigation. It is reported that the emails in Altıntaş's account were deleted around 9:30 p.m.; two and a half hours after the assassination. The specialist focused on trash mail only to discover that the mails were deleted irreversibly. In light of this development, the prosecutor's suspicions about an accomplice have grown stronger. To find out the identity of the person who entered Altıntaş's personal email account, the police and the prosecutor's office are to deepen their investigation. An official request letter to Gmail headquarters in Silicon Valley, California has been sent. The letter was sent by the prosecutor's office and requests the details of the emails that were deleted from Altıntaş's account.

It is also reported that police officer Sercan Başar, the roommate of Altıntaş; Kaan Bülbül, previously dismissed from the police force; and Enes Asım Silin, a shopkeeper, have been arrested for "being members of FETÖ." The police also discovered that the four police officers who were released all graduated from the same school as gunman Altıntaş and they are occupy key positions in the police force.

Russian envoy Andrey Karlov was killed on Dec. 19, 2016 following an attack by Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, a police officer and suspected Gülenist, during the opening reception of an art exhibition in the Turkish capital. Karlov was shot from behind as he delivered a speech at the opening. Altıntaş, on the other hand, was later killed in a shootout with police.

The incident rocked Turkey as it was trying to restore ties with Russia following a crisis over the downing of a Russian jet for violating Turkish airspace. Both Moscow and Ankara later assured it would not harm relations.