'Turkish prosecutor seeks IDF arrests over flotilla raid'

CNN Turk reports that Istanbul state prosecutor had written to Turkish Justice Ministry calling for arrest of 174 involved in 'Marmara' raid.

By REUTERS
Mavi Marmara Raid 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Mavi Marmara Raid 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A Turkish prosecutor is seeking the arrest of 174 IDF personnel allegedly involved in the naval commando raid that killed nine Turks on the Mavi Marmara ship carrying aid to the Gaza Strip last year, broadcaster CNN Turk reported on Wednesday.
CNN Turk said on its website that Istanbul state prosecutor Mehmet Akif Ekinci had written to the Turkish Justice Ministry calling for the arrest of those who carried out the raid and those who ordered it.
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An official contacted by Reuters was not aware of the report and was checking.
Last month, the IDF said it was taking legal precautions to protect soldiers and officers who participated in the operation to stop the Mavi Marmara, senior defense officials said. Turkish news reports claimed intelligence agencies had compiled a list identifying 174 soldiers who could be prosecuted for their involvement in the operation.
The Istanbul deputy public prosecutor Ates Shasan Sozen told the Today’s Zaman newspaper that the list was compiled by IHH, the organization that organized the Gaza flotilla, and not by Turkish intelligence.
The Sabah newspaper wrote that the names were acquired by Turkish intelligence agencies that had studied social connections on Facebook and Twitter, as well as photographs on those websites with ones taken on board the Mavi Marmara.
The list of 174 names was transferred to Turkish prosecutors, in addition to pictures of 10 IDF soldiers the paper said could not be identified.

Yaakov Katz and Oren Kessler contributed to this report.