Turkish rumors about Moscow attack: Erdogan’s spokesman suspects foreign secret services are the mastermind

Türkiye fuels the conspiracy theory

After the attack, the Kremlin leader said on state television that Kiev had kept a window open at the border crossing so the four gunmen could plan their escape to Ukraine. In addition, the Russian Investigative Committee reported on Telegram that the terrorists had received large amounts of cryptocurrencies from Ukraine and were associated with “Ukrainian nationalists.”

Turkey is now adding fuel to the fire. Ömer Celik (55), spokesperson for the Justice and Development Party (AKP), told Turkish television channel NTV on Thursday: “Such a professionally executed attack cannot be prepared without the support of the secret service of a powerful state. Such attacks always have sponsors who want to stir up conflict.” But which state does the spokesperson for the ruling AKP party mean? Iran? Or Pakistan? Although both countries support jihadists in terrorist actions, they have recently become targets of the ISPK themselves.

“IS terrorists are controlled by the West”

Or is this statement a gift to Putin, with whom Turkey now wants to work closely in prosecuting terrorism? It is unlikely that Ukraine will directly indict Recep Tayyip Erdogan (70). He enjoys the role of peace broker and has already been successful in grain deals and prisoner exchanges. Turkey wants to do business in the future – with Moscow and Kiev. A trade exchange with Ukraine worth ten billion dollars is planned.

On X, Ömer Celik points his finger further west. The US encouraged the assassination in Russia and promoted the policy of massacres, the AKP man writes. On the same platform, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen made it clearer: “The IS positions are outside Afghanistan and under the control of Western secret services.” In the past, the Taliban had repeatedly accused the US of using the ISPK for attacks.

Hunting Tajiks, Uzbeks and Kyrgyz

While the investigative committee is collecting ‘evidence’ against Ukraine, the open hunt for Tajiks, Uzbeks and Kyrgyz is underway in Russia. Although their autocratic countries are allies of Moscow, the ISPK can successfully recruit fighters from their impoverished Muslim populations.

Since the March 22 attack, Central Asians have been repeatedly arrested at Russian airports, Kyrgyz human rights activist Aziza Abdirasulova complained to RFE/RL. Eurasianet also reports on harassment and threats against Central Asians by law enforcement authorities. The Russian news agencies Tass and Astra provide examples. They talk about identity checks in companies where police officers beat Tajiks with batons. Videos of mass arrests are running on Telegram.

It is not only the state power that acts cruelly. The population is also reportedly attacking other Central Asian civilians. To the east, in Blagoveshchensk, a Tajik cafe was set on fire and in Kaluga, western Russia, three Tajiks were beaten. And a hairdresser in Moscow who employed one of the arrested terror suspects had to call the police after a mob threatened to lynch him.