Why are the thakedars of Islam afraid of dissent? Why cannot people speak openly?
http://www.nandotimes.com/world/story/681072p-5068894c.html
Turkish historian murdered near his home
ANKARA, Turkey (December 19, 2002 12:06 a.m. EST) - A Turkish historian who spoke out against Islamic groups was shot and killed outside his home Wednesday, news reports said.
Necip Hablemitoglu, 48, a history lecturer at Ankara University, was shot in the head twice as he left his car and walked toward his home, private NTV television reported. He died instantly.
Police cordoned off the street in the high-income residential district and were looking for the attacker or attackers who fled the scene.
The motive for the killing was under investigation. But NTV said Hablemitoglu had reported receiving several death threats before the attack.
Suspected Islamic militants have carried out attacks on pro-secular intellectuals in the past.
In 1999, Ahmet Taner Kislali, a journalist, political science professor and former culture minister who frequently condemned radical Islam in Turkey was killed in a car bomb attack outside his home. Pro-secular investigative journalist Ugur Mumcu was killed by a car bomb in 1993.
Hablemitoglu taught classes on the reforms of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern, secular Turkey.
He was the author of a book which accused Turkey-based German foundations of working to undermine Turkish interests. The representatives of the foundations are scheduled to stand trial later this month on charges of conspiring against Turkey.