Bahçeli Warns of Provocations Amid “Terror-Free Turkey” Drive

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli issued a stark warning on Monday, declaring that Turkey’s ongoing campaign for a “terror-free future” would not be derailed by “domestic or foreign actors serving as subcontractors of chaos.”

“As we move toward the goal of a Terror-Free Turkey, there will be no tolerance for those who act as subcontractors to internal and external powers seeking to disturb national peace and security. The coming days are open to every kind of provocation. Those calling for civil disobedience or making statements against Turkey must be met with vigilance, precaution, and national resistance,” Bahçeli said in a written statement.

Children and Crime

In his remarks, Bahçeli also drew attention to the recent surge in juvenile crime cases, stressing that society must not normalize the use of children in violence or organized crime.

“Just as a child cannot be a murderer, it is equally wrong to justify or excuse murderers and terrorists as if they were only children. Those who commit crimes, those who instigate them, and those who neglect their responsibilities should not be spared,” he said.

Bahçeli described children as the embodiment of innocence, warning that domestic and foreign networks were attempting to exploit their vulnerability. He urged families, educators, and community leaders to take responsibility to prevent minors from being lured into crime.

İzmir Police Station Attack

Bahçeli referenced the recent armed attack on a police station in İzmir’s Balçova district, where a 16-year-old assailant opened fire with a long-barreled weapon, killing two police officers. He also pointed to a separate case in Ankara’s Pursaklar district, where a 15-year-old was involved in a fatal incident.

“A 16-year-old who attacked a police station in İzmir with a long gun, and a 15-year-old who committed murder in Ankara, should serve as an alarm bell for all of us,” he said.

Bahçeli argued that organized crime groups, street gangs, and foreign intelligence operatives deliberately target children as tools of provocation.

Warning Against Civil Unrest

The MHP leader linked the rise in violence to broader attempts to destabilize Turkey.

“The nation is deeply concerned. The days ahead are ripe for provocation. Civil disobedience calls, statements against Turkey in foreign media, and those searching for lost political credibility in the darkness of the streets are all part of this climate. We must be vigilant and show political, legal, and national resistance against both domestic and foreign hostilities,” he stressed.

Call for Coordinated Action

Bahçeli outlined a “four-pillar” approach to combating crime and terrorism: deterrence by law enforcement, fair punishment through the judiciary, strict prison enforcement, and clear legislative definitions of crime and penalties.

He praised the efforts of police, judiciary, and correctional institutions, adding that Turkey’s security and justice system must work in unison to confront the “rising tide of violence and criminality.”

“The Turkish nation’s present and future face a great danger. Our children, our families, and our moral values must be protected. Those who betray this will not be tolerated—even if they are children,” Bahçeli concluded.