Turkish PM’s office says leaked recordings are fake

Source:AFP Published: 2014-2-25 23:53:01

Leaked recordings of the Turkish prime minister and his son allegedly discussing how to hide large sums of money are fake, the premier's office said, as the government grappled with the latest fallout from a damaging corruption probe.

"The recordings ... are the product of an immoral montage and completely untrue," Erdogan's office said in a statement late on Monday.

"Those who created this dirty setup targeting the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey will be held accountable within the law."

Erdogan on Tuesday condemned the leaked recording as a "vile attack."

"What was done is a vile and a treacherous attack against the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey. It will not go unpunished," Erdogan told his ruling party lawmakers in parliament.

The phone conversations, posted on YouTube, allegedly reveal Erdogan asking his son Bilal to turn millions of euros (dollars) in cash stashed at several houses into "zero."

The leaked discussions, which could not be independently verified, were said to have taken place on December 17, which was the same day a high-level corruption probe erupted, implicating key Erdogan allies.

After the recordings were leaked online, Erdogan held an emergency meeting with his intelligence chief Hakan Fidan to response the opposition leaders' calling for the government's resignation.



Posted in: Mid-East

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