Judicial Process Of Terrorist Erdal Continues In Belgium

BRUSSELS - The judicial process of terrorist Fehriye Erdal, one of assailants of businessman Ozdemir Sabanci assassination, continues in Belgium on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey.
Erdal, one of assailants of Sabanci Holding Automotive Group Chairman Ozdemir Sabanci, Toyota-Sa General Director Haluk Gorgun and secretary Nilgun Hasefe who were killed on January 9, 1996, had been captured in Belgium on September 26, 1996 with a false passport in the name of Nese Yildirim.
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 are among these crimes.
Meanwhile, in the end of judicial initiatives of Sabanci family, the Brussels Court last year decided that Erdal could be tried in Belgium on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey. As it was decided to bring Erdal before court with accusations connected with Sabanci assassination, lawyers of the suspect appealed the verdict.
Brussels Court of Appeals last May decided to combine files related with Erdal in Bruges Court where she had been tried on charges of crimes she committed in Belgium. The appeals court also said that the Bruges Court should make a decision about whether or not the suspect could be tried in Belgium on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey.
After this decision, lawyers of the suspect announced that they welcomed the approach of the Court of Appeals.
Sabanci family's lawyer Schmitz said that the verdict of the Brussels Court of Appeals did not return the possibility of trial of Erdal in Belgium on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey and the judicial process continued.
Schmitz decided to use the Supreme Court method, the last remedy to object to that decision. Sabanci family's lawyer requests that the terrorist should be tried in Brussels on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey while he defends that Bruges Court is bound to Gand region.
However, Schmitz says, the justice of that region earlier handled the issue within the scope of Turkey's extradition request and gave a negative response. To this end, Schmitz defends, there is a violation of rights of intervenor side.
The Supreme Court will examine written objection of Schmitz on Wednesday and listen to views of the Chief Prosecutor.
The Supreme Court will either approve combination of Erdal's files in Bruges Court or send the file to another court of appeals in Brussels if it finds the objection of the intervenor side appropriate. In such a case, whether or not the terrorist will be tried in Brussels on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey will be taken up in the appeals court again.
Erdal, who is supposed to be ''under house arrest'' in Belgium, is not expected to come to tomorrow's hearing but expected to be represented by her lawyers.