US set to Assist Investigators in Sinan Ateş Murder

An Ankara court has formally requested judicial assistance from the U.S. to compel Apple to provide the passwords of two defendants, Serdar Öktem and Mustafa Ensar Aykal, the newspaper said.

Both men have refused to hand over the passwords to their phones, which are reportedly central to the investigation.

An email from the U.S. Department of Justice said Apple is unable to provide passwords for its devices or iCloud accounts. A search warrant from a U.S. court would also be required to access the records, it explained.

For such a warrant, sufficient evidence must be provided to show that a crime was committed and that the accounts in question contain relevant evidence, the email added.

U.S. officials are particularly focused on Öktem and Aykal's involvement in the murder and their connections to the case. They have requested a detailed timeline of the events leading up to Ateş’s death, according to the report.

"Once the [Turkish] authorities have provided this information, we will make every effort to comply with the request if appropriate," the email said. They also noted that the U.S. will close the case file on the matter if no response is received by Jan. 14.

In October, the Turkish court convicted five individuals — including the gunman, Eray Özyağcı, and the alleged instigators — sentencing them to aggravated life imprisonment for the murder.

Ateş, who was fatally shot as he left his office in Ankara's Çukurambar district on Dec. 30, 2022, is widely believed to have been targeted in a politically motivated attack, despite claims to the contrary from the accused.

The Grey Wolves, once led by Ateş, is a far-right movement affiliated with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Source: HDN