| Üzeyir Garih | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1929 Istanbul, Turkey |
| Died | August 25, 2001 Istanbul |
| Cause of death | Stubbed |
| Ethnicity | Turkish Jewish |
| Education | Mechanical engineering |
| Alma mater | Istanbul Technical University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Organization | Alarko Holding |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Spouse | Doron |
| Children | Izhak (son), Dalia (daughter) |
Üzeyir Garih (1929, Istanbul-August 25, 2001, Istanbul) was a prominent Turkish Jewish businessman and a cofounder of Alarko Holding.
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He was born in 1929 in Istanbul, Turkey, and graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He started his professional life within the Turkish subsidiary of Carrier Corporation. In 1954, he became one of the two founders of Alarko, in partnership with İshak Alaton, and remained with Alaton the co-president of the company until his death.
Aside from his business activities, Üzeyir Garih was a very active participant in various private sector organizations, and a keen writer. He notably published a six volume account of his experiences, and a number of books on education, management and economy. He also frequently wrote articles for the press.
He is survived by his son İzzet, daughter Dalia, and wife Doron.[1]
Üzeyir Garih was stabbed to death on 25 August 2001 in the cemetery of the historic İstanbul quarter of Eyüp, while on one of his regular visits to the tomb of a Sufi sheikh Küçük Hüseyin Efendi, to whose teachings he was attached along with his Jewish faith.[2]
His teenage grandson Tal Herzikowitz was kidnapped by men in police uniform as a warning to Garih's family not to investigate the murder. Tal fled to New York after being released.[3]
A family friend, Doğan Kasadolu, alleged that Ergenekon was responsible for his assassination. A piece of evidence from his trial (a drawing of the shirt he was wearing at the time of his death) was found in the house of academic forensician Ümit Sayın,[notes 1] currently detained in the Ergenekon investigation. The drawing, assembled at the Forensic Medicine Institute and showing that Garih died after being stabbed six times in front and four times in the back, was not included in the files of the Yermez murder investigation.[4]
According to Kasadolu, three reports about Garih's death were missing, and found in Sayın's possession. Kasadolu says Tal's father (Garih's son-in-law), Doron, told him that the kidnappers threatened to pin the assassination on the teenager.[1]
The murderer, Yener Yermez, was tracked down and arrested ten days later; he is currently serving a life sentence. Yermez later wrote that he was offered $1.5m by Sayın for taking the fall.[5][6] It was claimed that Yermez was a thief, but Kasadolu pointed out that Yermez did not take Garih's $50,000 Rolex watch.[1] Sayın denies knowing or having met Yermez.[7]
Newspapers have proffered tenuous links between Yermez, Ergenekon suspect Fikri Karadağ and Murat Oğuz; partner in crime of Tuncay Güney in issuing fake car licenses. When lieutenant Oğuz was arrested in 2001, Yermez was serving tea in Oğuz' unit at the Hasdal Military barracks in Eyüp. At the time, Ergenekon suspect Fikri Karadağ was allegedly the commander of the barracks' Mechanical Regiment (Turkish: Mekanize Alay Komutanı); the superior of Oğuz. (Karadağ says he was elsewhere; see below.) In addition, Yermez was a private under Karadağ for one term (Turkish: tertip) in 1981.[3][8]
It is alleged that Garih's murder took place after he resisted extortion from Veli Küçük, who was raising money to finance a plot to overthrow the government of Azerbaijan (cf. Susurluk scandal). Garih and Küçük formerly had an agreement wherein Küçük helped sort out Garih's business problems in Turkic states in return for a fee. This continued until Garih's brother, İshak, protested. Küçük's men twice warned Garih to pay up, then had him killed, according to the allegations.[9]
Karadağ said that he transferred, not from the Hasdal barracks as claimed, but the Sakarya barracks, to the War Academy in May 1998 (and was there in 2001).[10][11] The records presented in the indictment's annex say otherwise.[12]