+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Erdogan’s Son Said to Be Summoned in Corruption Probe: Radikal 2013-12-27 12:15:40.986 GMT
By Bloomberg News Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- A prosecutor prepared a summons calling Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son as a suspect in a probe into graft, according to a scanned copy of a document published by Radikal newspaper. * Necmettin Bilal Erdogan was to be called to the prosecutor’s office in Istanbul on Jan. 2 to testify as suspect on charges of “establishing and being a member of a criminal organization with the aim of profit,” according to the document, dated Dec. 25 and published in Radikal and other local media today * Telephone calls to the prosecutor’s office in Istanbul and the prime minister’s office in Ankara seeking verification went unanswered today * TURGEV, a charity on which Bilal Erdogan is a board member along with other members of the Erdogan family, said it wasn’t speaking to press when reached by telephone today * An official at Erdogan’s office who asked not to be named, citing the sensitivity of the matter, declined to comment and said to wait for Erdogan’s comments today * Document was signed by prosecutor Muammer Akkas, who issued a statement yday saying his work was being obstructed, police were refusing search and detention orders from the judiciary, and that he’d been removed from the case * The suspect may be brought to the prosecutor’s office by force if he refused to heed the call, document says * NOTE: Erdogan said the corruption probe was targeting him through his son, according to Milliyet newspaper on Dec. 26; link: NSN MYEMSE6S972B <GO> * NOTE: Radikal link: {http://bit.ly/1jOJyis}
For Related News and Information: Turkey Prosecutor Says Government Obstructing Graft Probe NSN MYGHAR6TTDSV <GO> First Word scrolling panel: FIRST<GO> First Word newswire: NH BFW<GO>
--Benjamin Harvey. Editors: Benjamin Harvey, Heather Harris
To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Benjamin Harvey in Istanbul at +90-212-317-3901 or bharvey11@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at +971-4-364-1057 or barden@bloomberg.net