Participating in a television programme in Turkey, İsmail Hakkı Pekin, former Chief of Intelligence of the General Staff, called for the assassination of PUK leader Bafel Jalal Talabani.

İsmail Hakkı Pekin, former Chief of Intelligence of the General Staff, openly called for assassination in the programme ‘Gerçek Fikri Ne’ (What's the Real Idea) on Habertürk TV, moderated by Eren Eğilmez.

Pointing to the ‘security’ agreement concluded between Ankara and Baghdad on 15 August, Pekin said, “Turkey's agreement with Iraq is a very important agreement. We need to do the same on this side (Syria) as well. Bafel Talabani is said to be doing some things. You should deactivate him. In other words, you can assassinate him if necessary.”

Upon a warning from the studio, Pekin confessed about the assassination methods of the Turkish state, saying “You won’t do it, but have someone else do it.”[1]