Turkish court jails five men for murder of Christians

A court in the city of Malatya on Wednesday found five men guilty of premeditated murder for the brutal killing of 46-year-old German missionary Tilmann Geske and two Turks who had converted to Christianity, Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The three victims' throats were slit after being tortured at the Christian Zirve publishing house in Malatya in April 2007.

The five main suspects found at the scene of the crime reportedly committed the murder because the Christians had tried to convert Muslims.

The case fueled speculation of a secret ultra-nationalist cabal within the military having orchestrated the crime. At the time, it also raised concerns over targeted attacks against Christian minorities in the predominately Muslim nation.

A total of 21 defendants were on trail, including military officers.

Fourteen of the accused were acquitted, but two military officers were charged.

Retired General Hursit Tolon was acquitted, but a Turkish army colonel was sentenced to 13 years and nine months' in prison and an army major was sentenced to 14 years and 10 months for "violating communication privacy and forging official documents."

The long drawn out trial became controversial after the five main suspects were released from detention in 2014 on condition they wore electronic bracelets and were kept under house arrest.

cw/kms (dpa, Reuters)