BRUSSELS - Lawyer of Sabanci family Fernand Schmitz said on Monday that he saw a political will for terrorist Fehriye Erdal`s trial in Belgium with the crimes she had committed in Turkey and added that this was a new development.
Turkish Ambassador in Brussels Erkan Gezer said that he also saw the same will during his meetings.
Erdal, one of the assailants of the assassination of Sabanci Holding Automotive Group Chairman Ozdemir Sabanci, Toyota-Sa General Director Haluk Gorgun and secretary Nilgun Hasefe on January 9, 1996, was captured in Belgium with a false passport in the name of Nese Yildirim on September 26, 1999.
Belgium had rejected Turkey`s request for Erdal`s extradition due to existence of death sentence in laws and at the same time returned political asylum application of the terrorist. After serving a year in prison, Erdal was taken under house arrest and is waiting to be tried on charges of crimes she committed in Belgium. Carrying a gun, taking part in activities of a crime gang and using false identity card are among these crimes.
The Belgian Interior Ministry had passed a decree against Erdal`s political asylum request two years ago and demanded Erdal`s extradition by saying that this person posed a threat for the security of the country.
The terrorist firstly applied to the Council of State and provided the suspension of the decision. But, she could not seek asylum again since the mentioned decision was on the agenda and was not annulled.
Schmitz told A.A correspondent that he saw a political will for trial of Erdal in Belgium with the crimes she had committed in Turkey and added that the date of verdict would be announced in coming days.
Schmitz said that Erdal would be tried separately with the crimes she had committed in Belgium and the activities she had launched in Turkey.
Turkish Ambassador Gezer said that terrorist organization DHKP-C and Erdal have always remained on the agenda of Turkey-Belgium relations and Turkey had sent diplomatic notes to Brussels for many times.
Gezer said that he had met with Belgian Justice Minister Laurette Onkelinx and Onkelinx told him that the trial of Erdal`s file would start in a short time.
Gezer said that he also saw the same political will which Schmitz mentioned.
Schmitz said that Belgian citizenship could not be given to Erdal and necessary conditions did not exist for such a demand, adding that Erdal did not have official residence in Belgium.
(GC-AÖ) 05.04.2004