Father's statement on loss of his son in bomb attack in İstanbul: ‘I don't want my son to be a martyr!'
Berkay Akbaş, a student of Medicine Department of Başkent University of Turkey, was among those who lost their lives at yesterday’s twin bomb attacks in İstanbul.
As officials kept referring to the victims as martyrs, father Salim Akbaş reacted in sorrow: “So, it is this cheap and this simple!? I do not want my son to be a martyr! My son has been slaughtered!”
As reported by DHA, Akbaş said: “A 19 year old; in his 2nd year at medical school. He had come to İstanbul from Ankara only for two days, after his exams. They had come to just visit. And, they were just passing by there in a taxi by coincidence. That’s all! That’s all! It is as simply as coincidential as this! It is this cheap and this simple! And, because of that, he is a martyr?! No! I do not want my son to be a martyr! My son has been slaughtered. I cannot say anything more. Mustafa Berkay Akbaş: a prospective student of medicine, at Başkent University. His dream was to become a doctor; and, to help people... But now I’m taking him back in a funeral car. He is the boy who was announced on twitter (last night) as missing... Only if condemning terror could solve it all! We have been condemning it for years. And, tomorrow, they will just leave a bouqet of flowers; and, not do anything further. I do not want my son to be a martyr! He’s been slaughtered!”