Disciples of the Black Pope, Satanists have been active for 37 years

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Lerato Khumalo

Türkiye first recognized the existence of Satanist groups with the ‘T Group’, which emerged in 1987. The head of the “T Group”, which dealt with black magic rituals and occultism, was a person named Nazım T, whose surname was kept secret. Nazım T was mysteriously murdered shortly after his interview published in Nokta Magazine at the time. However, the real period when Satanist groups began to attract attention was the early 90s. It was understood that Anton Szandor LaVey, the founder of the ‘Church of Satan’ in the USA and known as the ‘Black Pope’ in the world, had many disciples operating under the name ‘Levent Group’ in Turkey. The meeting places of the young disciples were the cafes in the side streets of Beyoğlu where “satanic metal music” and accessories were sold. Satanist rituals were held in derelict gunpowder and spirits buildings in Ataköy.

The existence of Turkic followers of Anton Szandor LaVey, known as the Black Pope, emerged in the early 90s.

MYSTERIOUS RICH PAINTER

It is claimed that Levent Group consists of 9 wealthy people; It was reported in news magazines of the time that the group gathered in a villa in Levent in the early 1990s and held rituals. Fenomen Magazine Editor-in-Chief Ata Nirun said about the Satanist group, “The group was founded by a painter who was a fan of LaVey and returned from America in the early 1980s. They are rich and very megalomaniac people. They very rarely accept new members.”

SKEKİNAH, THE DEMON OF THE BOSPHORUS

On the other hand, at that time photocopied The Satanic magazine named “Probability” is; It was issued by a Boğaziçi University student known under the code name Shekinah and alleged to be affiliated with the Church of Satan. However, no one knew the identity of this student. The first victims of the heretical belief, which began to take root in the early 90s, were 14-year-old ACY and 17-year-old AY, students of the German High School in Ataköy, on June 21, 1998. The suicide of two young people by jumping from the 14th floor was mentioned in the national press with suspicion of Satanism. After the terrible deaths of the two young people, it was also claimed that they were members of a group of Satan worshipers.

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Şehirban Coşkunfırat was recorded as the first person murdered by Satanists.

FIRST VICTIM IN ORTAKÖY

The first bloody action of the Satanist groups, whose name began to be heard since the early 90s, took place in Ortaköy on September 13, 1999. Unfortunate Shahriban Coşkunfırat (19); At that time, he was murdered by 3 young Satanists named Engin Arslan (18), Ömer Çelik (23) and Zinnur Gülşah Dinçer (19) on the grounds of “sacrifice to the devil”, and his naked body was buried in the ground up to his waist. KAtiller, in their statements, for the massacre they committed; While he was drinking, he said that there was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and that the devil wanted a sacrifice because it was the 13th. Zinnur Gülşah Dinçer confessed that Ömer Çelik had robbed and raped the body after the murder. The Ortaköy massacre was the first Satanist murder recorded in Turkey.

BRAINWASHED YOUTH

The other sad incident took place on September 21, 1999. The lifeless bodies of 16-year-old Pınar B. and the same age Gülce K., who disappeared leaving a note that they would commit suicide on the day the schools opened, were found in the elevator shaft of a construction building in Kızkalesi Town of Mersin’s Erdemli District. Relatives of the two young girls were crying out that “Our children may have been brainwashed and injected with Satanist thoughts.”

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Murderer Semih Çelik wrote a slogan that belonged to Satanists on the wall at the scene of the massacre.

SUSPECTED SUICIDES

Other incidents involving suspicion of Satanism took place in Istanbul. The suicides of German High School student Ceylan K. by jumping from the 4th floor of the school on September 16, 2000, and Private German College student Lara F’s suicide by jumping from the Bosphorus Bridge on December 16, 2001, also led to suspicions of Satanism. It was claimed that Lara F, who ended her life by jumping from the Bosphorus Bridge, confessed in her chat correspondence that she was a Satanist and was determined to commit suicide. When the calendar showed March 27, 2002, Antalya police prevented the suicide attempt of 8 young people, including 3 young girls, and it was claimed that the group was satanist.

FOREIGN SUPPORT CLAIMS

On the other hand, Researcher-Writer Erhan Altunay, who gave information to Haberglobal about the Satanist movements that came to the fore after the brutal murder in Fatih, said, “Actually, it would be more accurate to describe the Satanist movements in Turkey, which we call Satanists, as ‘Turkish-style movements’. It has a 35-year formation.” They are trying to brainwash especially troubled adolescents and find supporters. We know that it has ideological support from the magazine “Non Serviam” published in the 90s. “At that time, it was claimed that some financial support was received from outside.” he said.

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