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Turkey President Turgut Ozal's remains exhumed | Turkey President Turgut Ozal's remains exhumed |
(1 day later) | |
The remains of Turkish President Turgut Ozal have been exhumed from an Istanbul grave amid suspicions from family and associates that he was poisoned. | The remains of Turkish President Turgut Ozal have been exhumed from an Istanbul grave amid suspicions from family and associates that he was poisoned. |
Coroners will now investigate whether poisonous substances are present in the remains of Turkey's eighth president, who died while still in office in 1993. | Coroners will now investigate whether poisonous substances are present in the remains of Turkey's eighth president, who died while still in office in 1993. |
Ozal reportedly died of heart failure at an Ankara hospital, aged 65. | Ozal reportedly died of heart failure at an Ankara hospital, aged 65. |
He was seen as a moderniser who led Turkey out of military rule and backed the US-led coalition against Iraq. | He was seen as a moderniser who led Turkey out of military rule and backed the US-led coalition against Iraq. |
He introduced free-market economics to Turkey and also made efforts to secure peace with Kurdish militants, negotiating a ceasefire with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) shortly before he died. | He introduced free-market economics to Turkey and also made efforts to secure peace with Kurdish militants, negotiating a ceasefire with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) shortly before he died. |
Missing blood results | Missing blood results |
A state supervisory board established by incumbent President Abdullah Gul voiced suspicions in June, citing the lack of a post-mortem at the time of death, as well as missing blood test results. | A state supervisory board established by incumbent President Abdullah Gul voiced suspicions in June, citing the lack of a post-mortem at the time of death, as well as missing blood test results. |
So, amid heavy security and overseen by a team of forensic experts led by Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor Turan Colakkadi, mechanical diggers on Tuesday morning dug up Ozal's grave from a grand mausoleum in an Istanbul cemetery. | So, amid heavy security and overseen by a team of forensic experts led by Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor Turan Colakkadi, mechanical diggers on Tuesday morning dug up Ozal's grave from a grand mausoleum in an Istanbul cemetery. |
The autopsy is expected to be completed by the end of the week, when the remains would be returned to the Ozal family, forensic experts said. | The autopsy is expected to be completed by the end of the week, when the remains would be returned to the Ozal family, forensic experts said. |
But a full forensic report on coroners' findings is not expected to be available for at least two months - and may not be conclusive given the two-decade delay before the investigation. | But a full forensic report on coroners' findings is not expected to be available for at least two months - and may not be conclusive given the two-decade delay before the investigation. |
After a period of military rule following a coup in 1980, Ozal served as prime minister from 1983-89, when he was elected president by parliament. | After a period of military rule following a coup in 1980, Ozal served as prime minister from 1983-89, when he was elected president by parliament. |
He survived an assassination attempt in 1988 when he was shot at during a party congress by a right-wing gunman. | He survived an assassination attempt in 1988 when he was shot at during a party congress by a right-wing gunman. |
In 2010, Korkut Ozal said his brother's 1993 death was the work of a nationalist network with senior military links known as Ergenekon. | In 2010, Korkut Ozal said his brother's 1993 death was the work of a nationalist network with senior military links known as Ergenekon. |
Turkey's military has long seen itself as the guarantor of the country's secular constitution, analysts say. | Turkey's military has long seen itself as the guarantor of the country's secular constitution, analysts say. |
It staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and has a history of tension with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | |
Last month, a Turkish court sentenced three former army generals to 20 years in jail each for plotting a coup, convicting nearly 330 officers of involvement in the plot. | Last month, a Turkish court sentenced three former army generals to 20 years in jail each for plotting a coup, convicting nearly 330 officers of involvement in the plot. |
They were accused of plotting to bomb mosques and trying to trigger a war with Greece in order to justify a military coup against the elected government of Mr Erdogan in 2003. |
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