[ADN Kronos] Turkey's army chief Ilker Basbug on Friday called for an end to speculation about an alleged military plot to overthrow the government and condemned what he called a smear campaign against the military. "At a time when there are important things taking place in the world, notably in Iran... Turkey has used a lot of energy pointlessly over a piece of paper," he told reporters.
The document to which he referred was allegedly from a colonel in the general staff and published recently in the liberal newspaper Taraf.
It purportedly dealt with a plot to destabilise the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Basbug, who was surrounded by the army's most senior officers, repeated to reporters that military investigators considered the document to be a fake.
He also said the army would not stand by and watch the "growing and organised" smear campaign.
"We are an institution attached to the constitution and we will not permit anyone in our ranks to get involved in unlawful activities," he said.
The document published by Taraf newspaper, which has been a regular critic of the army, has sparked a fierce controversy in Turkey. The army has toppled elected governments there four times since 1960.
Taraf alleged that the document was a reaction to an ongoing probe into an alleged plot by the shadowy ultranationalist group Ergenekon to overthrow the Islamist-rooted government.
Suspects linked to Ergenekon allegedly sought to foment unrest and political chaos to pave the way for a military coup targeting the government of prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Ergenekon investigation, which began in June 2007, has fuelled tensions between the AKP and its hardcore secularist opponents.
Over a hundred people, including several generals, party officials, and journalists have been detained or questioned since July 2008 in relation to the Ergenekon plot.
Hearings began last October and are expected to continue for some time.