MisterSix
January 20th, 2013, 07:15 PM
A Bulgarian opposition leader escaped unhurt after a man stormed the stage and held a gun to his head during a televised conference.
The weapon appeared to misfire, giving veteran politician Ahmed Dogan a split second in which to bat away the gunman’s arm as security guards rushed to his aid.
Delegates wrestled the attacker to the ground and pummelled him with kicks and punches. Pictures taken as he was led away from the conference hall showed him with blood pouring from his nose.
Mr Dogan, 58, returned to the Sofia conference hall later to announce his resignation from the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, which represents ethnic Turks and other Muslims who make up about 12 per cent of Bulgaria’s 7.3 million population.
Mr Dogan, had led the party since it was founded in 1990 and was regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most influential political figures. The MRF was a junior partner in a previous Socialist-led cabinet. Rumours of his impending resignation had circulated for several days.
His attacker was named as Oktai Enimehmedov, 25, a Bulgarian national and ethnic Turk, from the Black Sea town of Burgas. He was arrested and taken to hospital.
Mr Enimehmedov was also carrying two knives, police said. Tsvevtan Tsvetanov, the Interior Minister, said that he had a criminal record for possession of drugs, robbery and hooliganism.
His gun was a Turkish-made Ekol Volga 9mm gas pistol, a non-lethal weapon designed for self-defence and shooting practice. Fired at close range, however, it can cause potentially fatal injuries.
It was not clear how Mr Enimehmedov had evaded security at the MRF party conference. Television footage showed him emerging from the audience of 3,000 delegates.
“Ahmed Dogan is in good health. Everything is under control,” said Ceyhan Ibryamov, an MRF official.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article3662629.ece
The weapon appeared to misfire, giving veteran politician Ahmed Dogan a split second in which to bat away the gunman’s arm as security guards rushed to his aid.
Delegates wrestled the attacker to the ground and pummelled him with kicks and punches. Pictures taken as he was led away from the conference hall showed him with blood pouring from his nose.
Mr Dogan, 58, returned to the Sofia conference hall later to announce his resignation from the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, which represents ethnic Turks and other Muslims who make up about 12 per cent of Bulgaria’s 7.3 million population.
Mr Dogan, had led the party since it was founded in 1990 and was regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most influential political figures. The MRF was a junior partner in a previous Socialist-led cabinet. Rumours of his impending resignation had circulated for several days.
His attacker was named as Oktai Enimehmedov, 25, a Bulgarian national and ethnic Turk, from the Black Sea town of Burgas. He was arrested and taken to hospital.
Mr Enimehmedov was also carrying two knives, police said. Tsvevtan Tsvetanov, the Interior Minister, said that he had a criminal record for possession of drugs, robbery and hooliganism.
His gun was a Turkish-made Ekol Volga 9mm gas pistol, a non-lethal weapon designed for self-defence and shooting practice. Fired at close range, however, it can cause potentially fatal injuries.
It was not clear how Mr Enimehmedov had evaded security at the MRF party conference. Television footage showed him emerging from the audience of 3,000 delegates.
“Ahmed Dogan is in good health. Everything is under control,” said Ceyhan Ibryamov, an MRF official.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article3662629.ece