VZCZCXRO4743
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0636 1981254
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171254Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7287
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 2321

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TU
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE SHOT DEAD 
 
¶1. Tuncay Seyranlioglu, an independent candidate for 
parliament in Istanbul's 2nd electoral district, was shot 
dead on July 16 in the suburban Kemerburgaz neighborhood of 
Istanbul.  Seyranlioglu had just finished a television 
interview when assailants opened fire on his vehicle.  His 
three passengers were wounded and Seyranlioglu died en route 
to the hospital.  Three suspects were reportedly arrested 
later on July 16 in Istanbul's Sisli district, but police 
have refused to comment on the case. 
 
¶2.  According to press reports, Seyranlioglu was the owner of 
Tamgun, a small local newspaper, as well as a construction 
company and several wedding/function halls in Istanbul's Eyup 
district.  The shooting has received broad local media 
coverage, although no press reports thus far indicate that 
the murder was politically motivated.  Aksam newspaper 
reports that the police had opened over 30 fraud cases 
against Seyranlioglu, and CNN Turk speculates he was killed 
as the result of a business conflict. 
 
¶3.  Comment.  Seyranlioglu was one of 44 independent 
candidates running for parliament in Istanbul's 2nd district. 
 As far as we can tell he was politically unaffiliated, had 
not been actively campaigning/advertising and was unlikely to 
attract the estimated 60,000 to 70,000 votes needed to win a 
seat in parliament in this very competitive district. End 
Comment. 
OUDKIRK