Evidence obtained from a cell phone has revealed discussions among members of the Ayhan Bora Kaplan crime syndicate regarding an upcoming speech by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The findings come as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged criminal organization.
The phone, identified as belonging to Serdar Sertçelik, a key figure in the syndicate and previously considered a close associate of Kaplan, was examined as part of the case. Sertçelik was apprehended in Hungary on May 25, 2024, following an international arrest warrant, and extradited to Turkey on January 31, 2026, where he remains in custody.
Investigators focused on WhatsApp messages between Sertçelik and Cengiz Halıç, an attorney for Kaplan who is now abroad. The messages shed light on potential connections between the crime syndicate and political figures.
DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL ARREST
A forensic report dated December 26, 2025, included the correspondence in the case file. According to the messages, on September 15, 2023, Sertçelik asked Halıç if there were any outstanding warrants or travel restrictions against him before a planned trip to Cyprus. Halıç responded that there were no such restrictions in place.
The messages also suggest Halıç was in communication with a member of the judiciary in Ankara at the time.
On January 6, 2024, Halıç reportedly wrote to Sertçelik, stating, “The Çankaya director was with us, we had the prosecutors in our hands, we said there would be no problem.”
On April 26, 2024, Sertçelik mentioned a judge in Ankara, originally from Adıyaman, to Halıç. Halıç cautioned him to avoid discussing the judge, stating, “The judge has sources of income, you shouldn’t talk about that judge.”
MENTION OF SABAH NEWSPAPER
A message from Halıç to Sertçelik on May 4, 2024, drew particular attention. Halıç indicated that Sabah newspaper planned to portray the Ayhan Bora Kaplan operation as a “coup,” and subsequently, Sabah published articles with headlines such as “Ayhan Bora Kaplan crime syndicate and coup attempt rocks Turkey: We are facing a new FETÖ threat!” and “Here is the latest information on the dirty conspiracy!”
MHP GROUP MEETING DISCUSSED
On May 13, 2024, Halıç sent a message to Sertçelik stating, “Tomorrow, things will explode at the MHP group meeting, Serdar. Today, house searches, etc., have begun. Necmi will send the text of his speech shortly. I’ll get it and send it to you… İzzet U. Is finalizing the text. He’s going to slip it in.”
When Sertçelik asked if there would be any problems, Halıç replied, “There wasn’t a problem when you were taking the money, there won’t be now. Necmi has made a big concession.”
In another message that same day, Halıç said, “The Chief Public Prosecutor wanted to go with the ‘coup’ angle. He told İzzet U. To ‘get a mandate from the President.’ He said, ‘he’ll hit all the buttons at the group meeting, you’ll see.’ Y. Didn’t spend the money, if he doesn’t, sex tapes will leak.”
The messages further reveal Halıç sending Sertçelik a photograph of what is believed to be Bahçeli’s speech, to which Sertçelik responded, “Is Bahçeli going to say this? No way, I swear. He’s talking about a secret witness.”
‘THE CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR WILL PULL THE TRIGGER’
Halıç responded, “They told us to listen tomorrow morning. They’re clearly determined. There’s a group meeting tomorrow morning. The Chief Public Prosecutor will pull the trigger when he receives the message.”
∗∗∗
ALLEGED ‘FRAMING’ OF POLICE
An additional indictment alleges that after the operation, the syndicate framed police officials who had been suspended and arrested. The indictment states that the “purpose of the plan designed within the framework of the armed criminal organization’s activity was to initiate investigations against police officers and to have the police officers arrested,” and that messages on the examined cell phone between Serdar Sertçelik and Cengiz Halıç, who allegedly fled to Dubai, support this claim. The indictment also states that the criminal organization allegedly commissioned false publications against the police officers who conducted the operation, stating, “It has been determined that, through notifications and publications in May 2024, and through multiple publications against multiple victims, they falsely attributed illegal acts, and that search and seizure protective measures were also applied to the victims and subsequently led to their arrest.”
∗∗∗
BACKGROUND
Ayhan Bora Kaplan and his associates were detained on September 7, 2023, at Esenboğa Airport while attempting to flee the country, and the Ayhan Bora Kaplan operation was led by Murat Çelik, then Deputy Director of the Ankara Police Department, KOM Branch Director Kerem Gökay Öner, Deputy Director Şevket Demircan, and commissioners Ufuk Gültekin, Metehan İlkyaz, and Gökhan Karaca. Kerem Gökay Öner was the only one not detained, while the others were suspended and then arrested.
