On May 1, 2025, Cemil Önal—known as the accountant of Halil Falyalı—was assassinated at a hotel located within the Rijswijk Municipality near The Hague, Netherlands. Önal had previously provided a 120-page testimony and documents to the American foreign intelligence agency CIA and the Dutch Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD).[^1] He also gave an interview to Cypriot journalist Ayşeden Akın, in which he exposed illicit relationships within the power structures of Turkey and Northern Cyprus, causing widespread media coverage.[^2]
This event is not merely an individual execution but should be interpreted as part of a multi-layered intelligence conflict and political reckoning. Önal was a key figure with direct and detailed knowledge—not merely as a witness—of the internal mechanisms of the Turkish Republic (TR) and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), including corrupt dealings involving numerous politicians, businessmen, and bureaucrats, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
- Security Failures and Institutional Responsibility
According to media reports, the assassin fled the scene on foot, pointing to a serious lapse in security protocols.[^3] Despite receiving intelligence from Önal, both the CIA and AIVD failed to fulfill their duty to protect him. Allowing him to stay at an ordinary hotel without any security measures raises serious questions about institutional responsibility.
- The Role of Turkish Intelligence
Public criticism has surfaced regarding Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), which reportedly tracked Önal for a significant period and coordinated its actions with the executive branch.[^4] Whether MIT had direct or indirect involvement in the assassination is a matter that must be scrutinized both legally and within the context of international law.
- International Dimension: Blackmail and Intelligence Equilibriums
Allegedly, Önal possessed recordings and documents detailing the involvement of Erdoğan and his close circle in illicit and organized criminal activities.[^5] Should these records have fallen into the hands of Western intelligence agencies, Turkey could be exposed to blackmail and coercion on the international stage.[^6] Therefore, this assassination can also be interpreted as part of a multinational foreign policy maneuver rather than merely a targeted killing.
- The “Used and Discarded” Scenario: The Fate of a Whistleblower
Following Önal’s death, widespread discussion has focused on the notion that Western intelligence services “used and discarded” him. He allegedly offered detailed cooperation to the CIA and AIVD in exchange for protection and asylum.[^7] However, these services may have either underestimated or deliberately ignored his requests. This highlights the fragile nature of the “interest-based protection” principle in intelligence relations.
Informants are typically protected only as long as the information they provide is considered “valuable.” Once this information is utilized, the responsibility toward such individuals diminishes. This has been a recurrent tactic, notably employed by the KGB and CIA during the Cold War.[^8] Önal’s situation is a modern example of the “discarded witness syndrome.”
- Domestic Repercussions in Turkish Politics
In the aftermath of Önal’s assassination, segments of the Turkish opposition and certain media outlets have begun questioning potential links between the incident and the ruling government. Reports suggesting that Önal’s records directly targeted President Erdoğan have triggered intense censorship and pressure campaigns.[^9]
This leads to a critical question: If Önal indeed possessed incriminating material against Erdoğan and his inner circle, where are these documents now, and who has them? If they have been handed over to the CIA, AIVD, or other agencies, they could become instruments of future blackmail. Such a scenario might force Turkey into foreign policy concessions—similar to past cases involving NATO member states where intelligence assets were directly embedded in diplomatic maneuvers.[^10]
- An Unsolved Case or a “Held Card”?
Turkey’s modern history is filled with assassinations that remained unsolved for years, only to resurface when political dynamics shifted. Önal’s death might similarly be a “held card”—deliberately shelved by those behind the operation for future strategic leverage. In such a case, the public may not learn the truth for a long time.
More critical than identifying the direct perpetrators is uncovering the structures that allowed or facilitated the assassination. The media’s lack of coverage, the event’s near-invisibility on social media, and its portrayal as an “ordinary murder” all reinforce this suspicion.[^11]
The Anatomy of a Trust Crisis
Cemil Önal’s assassination is not only a personal tragedy but also a symptom of a deeper crisis involving intelligence agencies, transnational political interests, and Turkey’s internal power structure. Despite the short time since the incident, access to information has been restricted, the investigation lacks transparency, and international response has been minimal. This sends a deterrent message—not just to those currently involved, but also to any future whistleblowers considering cooperation with intelligence services.
Still, several pressing questions remain unanswered:
• Who was behind the assassination?
• Why did agencies responsible for his protection fail to act?
• Where are the documents Önal disclosed?
• How might this murder affect Turkey’s future foreign policy?
Conclusion
The killing of Cemil Önal demands clarification on many fronts. This was not simply the silencing of a witness but an event that sheds light on the complex intersections of intelligence agencies, state structures, and international power balances. Ultimately, the key question remains:
“Who benefits the most from this assassination?”
Everyone concerned with this issue must engage in critical thinking, connecting the chain of events and conducting a thorough analysis.
Only then can the true answer—perhaps more obvious than it seems—emerge.
References:
[^1]: “Key Witness Cemil Önal Killed in Rijswijk,” De Volkskrant, May 2, 2025.
[^2]: Ayşeden Akın, “Interview with Cemil Önal: Deep State Relations Revealed Through Documents and Recordings,” Haber Kıbrıs, March 2025.
[^3]: “Escape Footage After the Assassination Captured on CCTV,” NOS Nieuws, May 2, 2025.
[^4]: Mehmet Yılmaz, “MIT’s Silence and Tracking of Cemil Önal,” BirGün, April 2025.
[^5]: Hasan Bayraktar, The Deep State’s Tape Archive: The Cemil Önal File, Istanbul: Güncel Publishing, 2025.
[^6]: Ayşe Kardaş, “The West’s New Weapon: Political Blackmail Documents,” International Security and Strategy Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1 (2025): 34–52.
[^7]: “Leaked Documents on Cemil Önal’s Meetings with AIVD and CIA,” The Intercept, May 4, 2025.
[^8]: Christopher Andrew, The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB, New York: Basic Books, 1999.
[^9]: “Are the Recordings Targeting Erdoğan? Cemil Önal Assassination and Its Political Impacts,” BBC Turkish, May 3, 2025.
[^10]: Robert Baer, See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA’s War on Terrorism, New York: Crown Publishers, 2002.
[^11]: “Algorithms and Obscuration: Why the Cemil Önal Case Was Rendere
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