Five prosecutors suspended in MİT truck case

The Turkish Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) suspended on Thursday five prosecutors responsible for "illegally" stopping trucks belonging to Turkey's national intelligence organization that were carrying aid to Syria.

The board decided to suspend prosecutors Süleyman Bağrıyanık, Ahmet Karaca, Aziz Takcı, Özcan Şişman and Yaşar Kavalcıklıoğlu until the investigation is completed.

In January 2014, the trucks were stopped in Turkey's southern Hatay and Adana provinces on the alleged grounds that they were loaded with ammunition.

The prosecutors, who made the decision to stop the trucks, have been under investigation ever since.

When the investigation is over, it will be clear whether they will be dismissed from their posts. Critics of the incident have claimed that it was planned and administered by agents of the Gülen Movement within the security forces. It was reported that Çokay met with Adana Public Prosecutor Aziz Takçı in his house hours before the raid. Çokay reportedly went to the Prosecutor's Office to coordinate the operation and requested a search warrant even though it was his day off.

On Jan.19, 2014, MİT officials were assaulted and handcuffed as though they were terrorists, contrary to the law and outside authoritative boundaries. The government has reformed its intelligence laws in efforts to avoid such circumstances in the future.