Danish lawmakers infuriated over Turkey’s defense over suspect release

Danish politicians have reacted furiously to the Turkish EU minister’s remarks criticizing Denmark’s decision to report Turkey to the EU due to an ongoing row over the release of a Danish writer’s suspected shooter.

EU Minister Volkan Bozkır had slammed Copenhagen on Nov. 28 for overreacting to the release of the suspected shooter of Lars Hedegaard, an outspoken critic of Islam, in Turkey.

Speaking to Turkish media during his visit to Stockholm, the minister had said the suspect has been freed by a court and there is nothing the Ankara government can do about the issue.

Basil Hassan, a 27-year-old Danish man of Lebanese origin, was arrested in Turkey in April on the suspicion of shooting Hedegaard in Denmark in 2013.

The Turkish government has stated the release of the suspect was not the “choice of the executive power, but a ruling of the judiciary.”

Turkey hiding something: Danish MP

However, Danish politicians have responded to Bozkır’s statement harshly, accusing Turkey of trying to cover something up concerning the issue.

“Turkey is letting the chips fall where they may for the first time about this issue,” Danish Defense Minister Nicolai Wammen said, Doğan News Agency reported on Nov. 30.

The minister accused Turkey of covering documents, claiming this affirms Danish media reports that claimed Hassan was used as part of a prisoner swap conducted in exchange for the release of 46 Turkish hostages held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq.

“They have previously said the court released the suspect, but they couldn’t show any documents. This shows Turkey is hiding something, probably shows that the suspect was used in the ISIL prisoner swap...