This is a translation of Zhanna’s post from the Russian-language blog.

Nearly a month ago neweurasia reported on the incident that had taken place in Almaty in late January – then a group of 30 masked men attacked 40 Turkish employees of the construction firm BN Pegasus. According to the Turkish media, the attackers were armed with guns and knives. One of them was caught and delivered to the police station, where the Turkish citizens were deprived of their passports. Four workers were injured and hospitalized. It was clear even then that this clash was different from the earlier conflict between Kazakh and Turks on Tengiz, and looked rather like a gangster attack. Interestingly, there was nothing reported on the matter in Kazakhstan.

And here is an unexpected continuation of the story: Turkish side accuses the Kazakh president’s relatives of raider attack and illegal pressure. According to the lobbyists protecting interests of the Turks (most likely they are in Moscow, and their websites in Turkish, Russian, English and Kazakh languages gained hundreds of thousands visits in the very first days), prominent Turkish architect and CEO of B.N. Pegasus Tahsin Akkash was detained in Almaty without any grounds. They also allude that the abbreviation BN conceals initials of the Kazakh leader’s brother.

Sources say that the construction company, established in Kazakhstan by Turkish citizens had approached the presidential relative and his wife (who is believed to be the main inspirer of the conflict) in order to ensure possible problems, but it turned out otherwise. Akkash took a refuge in the Turkish embassy and stated that his abduction was initiated by Edgar Saluzi (apparently, also a Turk), who is an assistant of the presidential brother’s wife, at her order. Later she – at the diplomats’ request guaranteed safety of Akkash, but the man preferred to stay at the embassy, because – if to believe the website’s information – the hunt for him is being continued with the involvement of special services and threats keep on coming (including a “promise” to jail him for 15 years).

Lobbyists of Pegasus go even further in their efforts – they demand guarantees of safety and rights of all Turkish businessmen and workers, and remember the Tengiz incident with ENKA workers. In October 2006 a bloody clash took place there between the Kazakh and Turkish workers, provoked (according to the public information) by the cryingly unequal labor conditions and salaries of the Turks and Kazakhs, as well as flagrantly obnoxious behavior of the foreigners. Although this can be an understandable reason for dissatisfaction, the fact that disorder was not stopped and the incident was not properly investigated, leaves a bad feeling about it.

Besides, initiators of the campaign urge the Turkish authorities to take a more firm stance in protection of their citizens, write a letter to the president of Kazakhstan, gather information about “any claims to Kazakhstan” from “all victims of the incidents in Kazakhstan”, about “attacks of mafia” and even about “how we can help brotherly Turk republic get rid of mafia, freemasons and communists”. They also prepare a book called “Mayra’s Mafia”, allegedly an “outcome of the 1,5-year research”, which – as they promise – will be out soon in four languages with extra video compact discs.