Erdogan's Men Gave Money to a Boxing Gang in Germany to Organize Protests against Armenians and Kurds

• 12.19.2017, 12:21
•  Region,  World

DW

A Turkish parliamentarian has provided money to a boxing gang in Germany to buy weapons, organize protests and go after critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to research by Frontal 21, an investigative news program on public broadcaster ZDF and the daily Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Metin Kulunk, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and close confidant of Erdogan, directly and indirectly provided money to the Turkish nationalist of Osmanen Germania boxing club, DW reports. 

The investigation was based on German police phone taps and surveillance of the group leaked to the news organizations.

It suggests a relationship between Osmanen Germania and Kulunk, as well as the Turkish intelligence agency MIT, the AKP's European lobby and Erdogan himself.

Osmanen Germania describes itself as a boxing club and "brotherhood," but authorities have long suspected it of being involved in criminal activity and violence. It is estimated to have 20 chapters and 2,500 members in Germany.

One of Kulunk's main contacts was Mehmet Bagci, the former head of Osmanen Germania who has been in pre-trial detention in Germany since 2016. Another key figure was the group's vice president, Selcuk Sahin, who is also detained.

According to police investigations, Osmanen Germania was instructed by Kulunk to go after Kurds and critics of Erdogan living in Germany. He also allegedly organized protests against last year's Armenian genocide resolution passed by the German parliament.