Police complete investigations at Zirve - Turkish Daily News May 31, 2007

"The director of the Zirve publishing house, Hamza Ozant, spoke to the Turkish Daily News, choosing his words carefully.

'The police have finished their investigations in the publishing house and have handed it back to us. We will decide what to do in time,' he said. He explained that Zirve is not operating currently, but is not closed either.

The answer seems indicative of nervousness on the part of Christians in Turkey who have been under increased attacks over the past month. There were three attacks and attempts to burn down the church in Eskişehir in the past two weeks; the pastor of a church in Samsun has received serious death threats that claim "it will be worse than Malatya," if he does not leave. On Monday, two Georgian priests touring Turkey were beaten in Artvin because they claimed to be missionaries."

"ome of the city's Christians were hesitant after the killings, even considering going elsewhere to express their faith more openly, a Protestant living in Malatya said. Most of them, however, were relieved to hear that Zirve was staying in town. 'They don't want people to think that three people dying has made them give up their faith,' he explained. Zirve has been the most public face of the Christian community in Malatya and its closure would have given the wrong message. 'It would give the impression to people who sympathize with the killers that this kind of strategy works.'

Almost every day over the last month, he has had at least one phone call from locals giving condolences and expressing their regret for the killings. 'Most people condemn the attacks, but we have heard that more macho males have said 'that was good'; that they were glad the missionaries died,' he said.

But Malatya does not deserve to be remembered by the killings, and residents will not condone them, said İbrahim Göçmen, the editor-in chief and owner of the weekly Son Nokta. 'Malatya has lived with Armenian and non-Muslim citizens together until today, and goes on to live together as well. We hope that it does not happen again.'"
Police complete investigations at Zirve - Turkish Daily News May 31, 2007