Eyes on army chief Başbuğ for urgent action on military plot
There is growing expectation for either a satisfactory explanation or timely action by the Chief of the General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ regarding a military plot aimed at destroying the governing party and a faith-based civilian group after it was verified that the plot was prepared by no one other than the military itself.
A letter sent to an İstanbul prosecutor by an unnamed military officer revealed that the Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism was the product of a group of military members, who aimed to undermine the power of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Gülen movement through an underhanded plan.
In accordance with a directive by [then Deputy Chief of General Staff] Gen. Hasan Iğsız, necessary work was initiated by Lt. Gen. Mehmet Eröz and Maj. Gen. Mustafa Bakıcı, and the action plan was prepared by Col. Dursun Çiçek, read the anonymous letter. The officer also attached the original copy of the plot, which a forensic examination proved to be a product of the colonel. The recent developments have come as a refutation of all claims against the authenticity of the plot.
All eyes are now on Gen. Başbuğ to take action against the names behind the plot as he had pledged to do what is necessary if evidence emerged on the authenticity of the plot.
During a press conference in June, when the plot was published in a Turkish daily for the first time, Başbuğ dismissed military possession of the action plan, and termed it a piece of paper. He said a military investigation launched into the plan concluded that it was not a product of the military, but was prepared by some circles which wished to undermine the credibility of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The army chief, however, also said another investigation could be launched if new evidence pointing to the authenticity of the plot came to light.
Now that all doubts on the authenticity of the action plan have been dissipated, the type of action Gen. Başbuğ will take against the names behind the plan is a source of concern. It is wondered whether Başbuğ will urge the members of the military whose names are mentioned in the officer's letter to testify to civilian prosecutors about the plan.
Last week İstanbul prosecutors invited six members of the military to be questioned on the plot, but none of them have accepted to testify so far. Col. Çiçek was also called for interrogation, but has not shown up in a civilian prosecutors office thus far. Prosecutors also asked the General Staff to send them the 35 computers in its headquarters for examination.
A private who completed his military service at the General Staff headquarters and was recently discharged was also interrogated yesterday by the Counterterrorism Unit of the İstanbul Police Department in connection with the officers claims about the plot. Also yesterday, Gen. Iğsız -- who is now the First Army Corps Commanders -- paid a visit to the Security General Directorate, but no details were available about the reason of the visit.
The current position of the armed forces, however, diminishes hopes that the army chief will order a new military investigation into the plot.
On Saturday, the TSK issued a three-article statement on the discovery of the original document, which focused solely on criticism of newspapers for their reports on the discovery.
The appearance of developments related to the alleged plot in some newspapers is worrisome and thought provoking in a state governed by the rule of law. The difference in the language used in the reports of different media groups grabs attention. No one can have a say against the conduct of everything in accordance with the law in a state governed by the rule of law, read the statement.
Furthermore, Başbuğ has so far chosen to remain silent about the emergence of the original copy of the military plot. On Sunday, he left questions by reporters unanswered as he was entered a cinema to watch the newly-released Turkish film, Nefes.
According to most observers, if the chief of general staff neglects to take action against the plot, the prime minister should take the initiative and call to account all responsible for the plot.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is also the AK Party leader, vowed to fight against any democratic act on Saturday, saying: We will never allow anyone to put a stain on our state and republic with such incidents. The legal process is ongoing. The TSK cannot accept such a shadow or stain on itself, he stated.
Mehmet Metiner, a columnist for Star daily, said the prime minister should spur into action and punish everyone who has played a role in the preparation of the notorious action plan. If this plan goes unpunished, then we will have greater troubles when similar plans emerge in the future, he noted.
The plot revealed that the TSK had a systematic plan to damage the image of the AK Party government and the Gülen movement in the eyes of the public, to play down the Ergenekon investigation and to gather support for members of the military arrested as part of the Ergenekon inquest.
The action plan was published by the Taraf daily first in June, but the TSK denied responsibility for the plot, saying it was aimed at undermining the credibility of the armed forces.
However, a military officer recently mailed the original copy of the plan to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor, a move that dissipated all doubts over the authenticity of the plot. The officer also attached a letter with the document in which he mentioned the anti-democratic and pro-coup movement within the armed forces.
Esteemed prosecutor, I am a military officer from a family proud of having served the TSK for generations. However, a loss of reputation the TSK suffered from recently has disturbed me and my friends deeply. It is a bitter fact that our military which gave confidence to its friends and fear to its enemies has lost its credibility in the eyes of its own nation. Though I regret it now, I worked within a junta which looked innocent under a disguise and developed a propaganda activity, which one could witness only in third world countries. When you look at the Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism, you see that this junta destroys all values of our country just for its own existence. Once it was printed in the media, I took the original copy of the action plan from the folder it was kept in. When they saw that the plan had disappeared, they experienced a moment of panic. Then they thought it was taken by a junta member who was afraid that it could be obtained by someone else. Gen. Başbuğ delivered his press statement after he was convinced that the original copy had been destroyed, read the letter.
The officers statements have come as strong indication that the army chief was indirectly involved in the plot crisis, if not directly.
Recent developments show that it is not only the colonel [Dursun Çiçek] who is involved in the preparation of the military plot. Other high-ranking army officers are also involved in this process. We cannot know whether Başbuğ has a finger in its preparation, but he has played an important role in the denial of TSK possesion of the action plan. Therefore, what needs to be done should be done immediately. Our prime minister should stand by our democracy, remarked Metiner.
Metiners was an open call for Erdoğan to remove the chief of general staff from his position.
Alper Görmüş of the Taraf daily also agreed and said the prime minister would have no other choice than to remove Başbuğ from his post if his role in the preparation of the military plot is certified.
Now we have two possibilities at hand. The first one, which is stronger than the other, suggests that a number of members of the military, including Başbuğ, were previously informed about the plot. The second one, on the other hand, suggests that Başbuğ was not informed about the plot, at all. If the first possibility is correct, then the military chief has nothing to do. The prime minister should immediately spur into action, Görmüş stated.
According to Görmüş, it would not be enough to remove just Başbuğ from his position. If necessary, all top commanders should be relieved of their duties, he added.
Ümit Kardaş, a retired military judge, expressed the belief that if a new investigation is to be launched into the plot controversy, then it should be carried out by civilian prosecutors.
We are talking about an order-and-obey system. As the investigation will be focused on the General Staff headquarters, I do not think a military investigation will manage to investigate all details thoroughly. Therefore, I think the investigation should be carried out by civilian prosecutors, he noted.
The plot named Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism, was a four-page document, which revealed that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had a systematic plan to damage the image of the AK Party government and the Gülen movement -- inspired by internationally respected Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen -- in the eyes of the public, to play down the Ergenekon investigation and to gather support for members of the military arrested as part of the inquest.
To date, dozens of people have been arrested in the Ergenekon investigation, launched after the existence of a gang bearing the same name was discovered in June 2007, when police found a house full of munitions in İstanbul. The neo-nationalist Ergenekon gang, suspected of having ties to various individuals and groups within state bureaucracy and the military, worked to create a chaotic atmosphere in Turkey so people would welcome a military coup against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
The multi-step plan detailed a plan to defame the AK Party government and fight the alleged threat of reactionaryism in society. In accordance with this plan, press organs were to disseminate propaganda against reactionaryism and fundamentalism; TSK staff and their families were to be informed about this threat; and the military was to step up measures to prevent their documents from being leaked to external groups.
The alleged plot also mentioned plans to discredit the Ergenekon investigation and reduce its credibility in the eyes of the public.
The TSK was to engage in an intense period of propaganda and stress that the military is not against peoples religious sensitivities, according to the document. It would to make press organs prepare reports on the immoral relations of TSK members who are suspected of reactionaryism. In this way, the public would question the credibility of religious individuals.
The TSK was also to urge newspapers to publish stories against the Ergenekon investigation and claim that TSK personnel were being arrested because of their fight against the threat of reactionaryism.
Another section of the document was dedicated to the fight against the Gülen movement. It revealed that the armed forces wished to create a harsh public reaction against the movement. According to the document, the military planned to depict the Gülen movement as being engaged in acts against the unity and regime of the country.
The TSK plans against the movement were, however, not restricted to smear campaigns. They aimed to show followers of the Gülen movement as being engaged in illegal acts.
We will enable the discovery of weapons, ammunition and documents at the addresses of Gülens followers as if they were members of a terrorist organization. The movement will be named Fethullahs Armed Terrorist Organization (FSTÖ) and investigations into its members will be carried out by military prosecutors. We will focus on the concept of moderate Islam and emphasize that the Gülen movement aims to cause Islam to deviate from its original form, continued the plot.
The plot also aimed to urge press organs to claim that there is cooperation between the Gülen movement and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as the latter does not target in its terrorist acts the schools established by the former in the eastern and southeastern parts of Turkey and in northern Iraq.
In any western nation in the world Basbug would be court-martialled and forced to resign for his lack of inaction on this item. In Turkey he sits like a phucking potentate and thumbs his nose at the PM and President Unbelievable.
![[linked image]](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/4203/turkigngnfp1.jpg)
![[linked image]](http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7192/gflagfq8.jpg)
![[linked image]](http://galeri.milliyet.com.tr/2008/7/4Siyasetin_soguk_yuzunu_isitan_kadinlar/21.jpg)