Kaşif Kozinoğlu (1955, Trabzon – 13 November 2011, Istanbul) was a senior Turkish intelligence official in the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). He died of an apparent heart attack in prison, shortly before he was due to give evidence in the Ergenekon trials, in which he was considered a suspect.Today's Zaman, 11 March 2011, His death was considered suspicious and investigated by prosecutors.Today's Zaman, 17 November 2011, Probe under way into suspicious death of MİT's Kozinoğlu Today's Zaman, 3 February 2012, Kozinoğlu’s death was not caused by heart attack, preliminary forensic report shows Today's Zaman, 24 November 2011, More suspicion over MİT agent’s death
Career Kozinoğlu graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1976, joining the Army's Special Warfare Department in 1980. He was part of this department and its Special Forces Command successor until his retirement in 1995, when he joined the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). He served abroad in locations including Bosnia, Syria and Afghanistan and became head of the Asia Region.odatv.com, 14 November 2011, KAŞİF KOZİNOĞLU KİMDİR In 1986 he helped train police special forces, and in 1987 helped set up MIT's first foreign department.Today's Zaman, 14 November 2011, MİT officer's death shrouded in mystery
He was arrested in 2011 on charges of passing information to odatv.com, which prosecutors allege is part of Ergenekon.Today's Zaman, 11 September 2011, Odatv owner Yalçın gives info on MİT mole Kaşif Kozinoğlu Today's Zaman, 20 March 2011, Hurriyet Daily News, 4 April 2011, Turkish intelligence agency seeks 'the mole within' He told prosecutors that he had been in contact with Alaettin Çakıcı as part of an attempt to prevent an assassination of a high-profile politician.Today's Zaman, 11 March 2011, MİT's Kozinoğlu sent to court on terror charges Mehmet Eymür told Ergenekon prosecutors that Kozinoğlu had ordered the assassination of Kurdish politician Murat Bozlak,Today's Zaman, 22 March 2013, Eymür: Kozinoğlu gave order to have Bozlak assassinated while Akın Birdal has suggested Kozinoğlu was part of the team which attempted to assassinate him in 1998.Today's Zaman, 19 February 2012, Birdal says late MİT official was part of team set up to kill him Kozinoğlu is said to have monitored MIT chief Hakan Fidan.Today's Zaman, 9 March 2011, Kozinoğlu kept tabs on MİT’s Fidan, and family, daily claims
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