Fugitives linked to Süleymancılar organization caught in former minister's vehicle; minister denies involvement

Two fugitives, Hilmi Tuna Kuriş and Erhan Yılmaz, associated with the Süleymancılar organization, were arrested in Marmaris, Muğla province, as they were allegedly preparing to flee Turkey. Their apprehension is part of an ongoing investigation into the organization, which has already seen 32 individuals, including alleged leader Alihan Kuriş, detained.

Adding a layer of controversy to the case, the vehicle used to transport Kuriş and Yılmaz was found to be registered to İdris Naim Şahin, a former Interior Minister and AKP lawmaker. This discovery prompted Şahin to issue statements clarifying his position.

Şahin vehemently denied knowing Kuriş, Yılmaz, or Alihan Kuriş personally, stating he only knew them through media reports. He explained that he had rented the vehicle for his own use when traveling to Istanbul. He had an agreement with the car rental company owner, Mehmet Özmen, whom he has known for 10-15 years, that the car would be kept in the parking lot when he was not using it.

Şahin asserted that the fugitives used the vehicle without his knowledge or consent. He learned about their involvement with his car through the news. Consequently, he has filed a criminal complaint against Mehmet Özmen, the owner of the car rental company, for breach of trust. Şahin also applied to the Ankara Police Department to have the vehicle's allocation and protection status removed, emphasizing that the car should have been in Istanbul according to the rental agreement.