A month before his passing, the late Sırrı Süreyya Önder, the deputy parliament speaker and a lawmaker of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was the target of a likely assassination plot, according to the DEM Party.
There is a need to make a statement regarding claims in news organs that an assassination attempt was made on the late Önder, the party said in a statement on Thursday.
The party said that in early April, a parking attendant became suspicious of a noise coming from the tires of Önder’s vehicle. When the car was taken to the service, a sharp iron device was found strapped to the underframe, which could have burst the left rear tire.
Önder informed the party’s executive board about the incident, necessary examinations followed, and government authorities were notified of the incident, along with the relevant evidence, according to the statement.
The DEM Party said the party and Önder had been closely monitoring the investigation until his passing on May 3.
The party said that the incident was not disclosed to the public due to its sensitive nature, adding that no clear results have yet been found.
Önder was a leading figure in the terror-free Türkiye initiative since it was launched last year with the aim for the PKK terrorist group to cease its activities.
Önder and fellow DEM Party deputy Pervin Buldan acted as intermediaries between the jailed ringleader of the terrorist group, Abdullah Öcalan, the government and political parties as the latter made a historic call to the PKK to dissolve itself in February.
