Turkish crime boss threatens CEO of giant retail chain on Twitter

After the CEO of a giant retail chain in Turkey has objected to accusations of being the major source of price increases and dismissed a claim by the leader of far right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) that "the retail chains who draw prices up may be affiliated with the Gulen movement," a Turkish organized crime boss threatened the CEO saying that "the street corners" where the company set up stores "will be their graves."

When MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said that the retail chains' links to the Gulen movement -designated a "terrorist group" and dubbed "FETO" or "Fetullahist Terror Organization" by Turkish authorities - should be investigated, BIM's CEO Galip Aykac responded saying:

"We have things to say to party leaders who threaten us with FETO accusations. The good people of this country have never given credit to your lies."

Kursad Yilmaz, the crime boss who Bahceli earlier called a "hero," targeted BIM's CEO, saying:

"No matter who, which power you're relying on, the street corners where you set up your shops will be your grave."

Kursad Yilmaz had visited Bahceli in MHP's headquarters in May to present him a gift, a sword, then called him in his Twitter post, "my leader, my red line."

Kursad was listed in a recent police report as the head of one of the influential organized crime networks in Turkey, with 58 mobsters under his command. Another friend of Bahceli, Alaaddin Cakici, was ranked first with 428 men in his command.