Russian lawmaker wants Turkish nationalist organization recognized as terrorist group

Russian Politics & Diplomacy December 01, 2015, 10:08

Bozkurt is a Turkish youth organization with ultra-right and nationalist views known for complicity to a number of high-profile crimes, including an attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981

MOSCOW, December 30 /TASS/. Andrey Klishas, the head of the Russian Federation Council Committee for Constitutional Legislation and State Construction, called on Russia’s Chief Prosecutor Yuri Chaika on Monday to recognize the Turkish nationalist organization Bozkurt (Grey Wolves) as terrorist and ban its activities in Russia.

"I am asking you to consider a possibility of turning to the Russian Supreme Court to seek the recognition of Bozkurt (also known as Grey Wolves) as a terrorist organization and outlaw its activities in Russia," Klishas wrote in his letter to Chaika.

"It looks as if the actions of the Turkish leadership were designed to aid and abet the Islamic State terrorist group, which is banned in Russia," the lawmaker went on to say.

Bozkurt is a Turkish organization with ultra-right and nationalist views. It was founded in the 1960s. Its members are known for complicity to a number of high-profile crimes, including an attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981. Several Russian media outlets believe that Bozkurt members stand behind the death of Russian pilot Oleg Peshkov, the captain of the downed Su-24 jet, who was shot by fire opened from the ground on November 24.

A Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down Russia’s Su-24M bomber over Syria on November 24. The Turkish government said the downed plane had violated Turkey’s airspace. The Russian Defense Ministry said in turn that the Su-24M was in the sky above Syria, and it was the Turkish jet that had crossed the border. The bomber’s two-member crew ejected themselves. Captain Oleg Peshkov was killed by fire opened from the ground. Rescue teams found navigator Konstantin Murakhtin and took him to safety to a Russian air base.

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