Colonel says headscarf a ‘symbol of terrorism’ in new voice recording

FROM TODAY’S ZAMAN, ?STANBUL

Col. Ali Çakmakkaya, a judge, describes the headscarf as a “symbol of terrorism” in a voice recording, in which he also uses profanity while referring to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and his wife, Emine Erdo?an.

The voice recording was released on Twitter on Tuesday, although the date of the recording remains unknown. A caption provided with the recording says Çakmakkaya made the statements in an official military setting.

Criticizing Erdo?an for not wearing a tie during his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Çakmakkaya says Erdo?an had put an end to state culture in Turkey. He talks about the wives of Erdo?an and Assad: “You look at the wife of the other [Assad]; she is pretty modern and [looks] European.” He adds that Erdo?an’s wife is not like this, using expletives in his description of Emine Erdo?an.

Çakmakkaya also compares Emine Erdo?an with the wife of Qatar’s Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. “Even the wife of Qatar [Emir] looks neater than his [Erdo?an’s]. Her head is covered but not with a headscarf. These [headscarves] are entirely militant symbols,” he says, adding, “This is not about faith. This is a symbol of terrorism.”

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