Alparslan Aslan, who allegedly attacked the State Council 2nd Chamber is not Islamist. Aslan's father Idris Aslan, said that his son is nationalist not Islamist. "My son has been used by some other people. He has no connection with headscarf" said Idris.

Fehmi Akyol, Aslan's apartment administrator, said he occasionally saw Aslan while entering and exiting the building. "Though I saw him many times drinking alcohol behind our table," Akyol claimed, "We sat at different tables at the same place drinking, both Aslan and I drank alcohol."

Aslan interned at the law office of lawyer Ahmet Kilic in Kadikoy. Kilic believes Aslan is not a radical person, but rather "aggressive and attacking." Aslan's friends do not describe him as a member of any political group. He is a quiet person, aggressive at times, his friends said.

His partner, lawyer Burhan Gur, thinks Aslan may have committed such an act due to psychological problems. Gur said he has known Aslan since their university years, and they have been working as partners since July 2002. Gur asserts Aslan may have recently had some psychological problems, but Aslan did not wish to discuss them. Saying he talked to his partner on the phone May 15, Gur said they had a normal conversation and Aslan did not mention anything about his whereabouts. Gur cited Aslan last went to Ankara two years ago, though he does not have any information on whether he had any cases at the State Council.

Lawyer Mehmet Tasdelen, a friend of Aslan since their schooling at Marmara University's Faculty of Law, said his friend was not a pious person. "I do not believe this attack has a political dimension. The man I know is not a person to conduct an armed attack over a headscarf problem," Tasdelen said.

Aslan's former roommate, lawyer Fikri Cora, said they shared the same house for three years. "There is a mistake here. Alparslan is a person who would not be influenced by anybody," Cora said. Lawyer Ahmet Kilic said he knows Aslan as an aggressive person who displays nonconformist tendencies. Kilic and Aslan worked together for a few months in 2000.

Graduated from Elazig Kovancilar Secondary School in 1990, Aslan enrolled in Uskudar's Burhan Felek High School and returned to Elazig Kovancilar High School after finishing his second year in Istanbul. He started work as a lawyer registered with the Istanbul Bar Association after graduating from Marmara University's Faculty of Law in 1994. Aslan has reportedly been reading books about conspiracy theories and the "Illuminati" (enlightenment) school established by a German professor in 1776. Aslan reportedly suffers from psychological problems, and threatened a female friend at university with a knife.

Debate

The attack has stoked tension between the secular establishment and the government, led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, which has been trying to raise the profile of Islam in this predominantly Muslim but secular country. Erdogan's government has made no secret of its desire to lift a ban on wearing headscarves in government buildings and universities and had strongly criticised the court's decision against the teacher in February.

Erdogan's wife, Emine, wears a scarf and the wife of Abdullah Gul, the foreign minister, was barred from attending university for wearing her scarf. The wives of most cabinet members also wear headscarves and are excluded from state functions and dinners by the establishment because of this. The ban on headscarves on campuses and in state offices has been enforced since 1986 under the auspices of the military, which considers itself the guarantor of the secular constitution.

We Condemn the Attack

We condemn this attack against the respectable members of the State Council, and ask for God's mercy for Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, who passed away. For the judiciary members who were injured we sincerely wish a complete and immediate recovery. Whoever realized this attack for whatever reason, know that we consider this violent attack a part of the efforts to undermine the stability of our country.

The recent incidents show that dark forces are seeking new provocations. We have to act with common sense when faced with these kinds of dark assaults against our unity and solidarity. However, as we witness the initial reactions, we see that some circles want to form ideological poles by means of this treacherous attack.

We believe that the Turkish nation, whose recent past is full of such events, will not again be deceived by this stale trap. Moreover, what reasoning can legitimize the use of violence, as our strengthening democracy keeps permits criticism by everyone?

We invite every one to be more sensitive in order to obstruct these dark attempts to disturb the social peace. We condemn the events as attempts to take advantage of the provocations organized by treacherous circles. Institutions such as politics, media and the judiciary must use more common sense in these hard days.

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Quotations from Turkish journalist articles

TAHA AKYOL IN MILLIYET

We may be confronted with a major plan. This may have been a stealthy, well-organised attack, possibly directed by outside powers. It may also have been just an attack by someone with an "aggressive character". The law and reason require us to wait for evidence before commenting on the event.

FEHMI KORU IN YENI SAFAK

I wonder where Turkey will be dragged to by this attack that will be written in history as a black stain? I hope the government and the AKP [Justice and Development Party] now understand that they are facing a series of faits-accomplis threatening their existence.

EKREM DUMANLI IN ZAMAN

This attack is the latest stage in the process of dividing Turkey. God forbid that it continues. That is why every reasonable person must behave calmly.

A. IHSAN KARAHASANOGLU IN VAKIT

It is clearly a lie that the direct reason for this event is a newspaper article. It is a lie that seeks to threaten the freedom of press!

ABDULRAHMAN DILIPAK IN VAKIT

The judges and the decisions of the judiciary are not beyond criticism. It is not admissible to see these criticisms as "provocations" or "the selection of targets".