Article

2009-02-13 Europe

Turkish Army denies link with shadowy group

The Turkish Army denies the allegations that there is a link between its top officials and a secret terrorist group known as Ergenekon.

"The Turkish Armed Forces, as an institution, cannot have any relations to individuals or institutions that operate illegally," the General Staff said on Thursday in a statement posted on its website, the Turkish daily Hurriyet reported. "We are extremely uncomfortable that the judiciary is being dragged into unproductive discussions. It causes untold harm to the Turkish justice system when doubts are raised over the judiciary," it added.

That's a pretty clear warning ...

The statement was released after the former head of the Turkish Special Forces Ibrahim Sahin who has been arrested over the Ergenekon case claimed that two senior military officials were aware of their activities.

Sahin is charged with having established death squads composed of police officers to assassinate prominent intellectuals, businessman and non-Muslim leaders across the country. Sahin claims the so-called S-1 squads allegedly recruited 150 to 300 police officers and soldiers under the orders of the General Staff's press information chief, Brigadier General Metin Gurek.

According to Sahin, Gurak gave him orders to select officers to form the new "S-1" anti-terror unit, the Turkish daily Radikal revealed. Sahin was allegedly told to select trustworthy military and police officers.

The Ergenekon suspect also claimed that Chief of General Staff General Ilker Basbug was aware the ex-police officer was asked to head up the new unit.

Sahin's links with Ergenekon came under spotlight last month when police found a map in his house that led them to a hidden weapons cache.

On Tuesday, Turkish security forces arrested 12 people including five officers as part of the Air Force investigation into links between military officers and the terrorist group. The detained people are believed to have met in covert places known as Karargah houses to discuss strategies to influence the Turkish military.

Ergenekon was reportedly planning to trigger a coup in the country through creating insecurity and chaos which prompt the army to intervene.

Eighty-six alleged members of the organization are standing trial while others are expected to be indicted. The organization's members included high-ranking generals and retired officers and ultranationalist figures.

Posted by Fred 2009-02-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 Sounds like Erdogan is afraid of his military, and is trying to use the Judiciary to "send a message". Stupidity cubed, IMHO. The military doesn't need a "shadow group" to take over the government - they've been quite willing to do so at the first sign of a deviation from Attaturk's secular path. Expect another military coup in Turkey within the year.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2009-02-13 12:52|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2009-02-13 12:52|| Front Page Top

#2 "Sahin claims the so-called S-1 squads allegedly recruited 150 to 300 police officers and soldiers under the orders of the General Staff's press information chief, Brigadier General Metin Gurek."

Now you don't often hear of a Press Secretary getting involved in assassinations... other than Scott McWhatsis, of course

Posted by Whomort Sproing4049 2009-02-13 15:11|| 2009-02-13 15:11|| Front Page Top

#3 Scott McClellan, I think, who ordered the assassination of his own mediocre credibility at the hands of his publisher, and his own stoopid mouth

Posted by Frank G 2009-02-13 18:06|| 2009-02-13 18:06|| Front Page Top

#4 Isn't it somewhere in Turkey's constitution (or whatever) that the army is authorized to take over the government if said gov't doesn't stay secular?

I think I read that somewhere - supposedly set up by Attaturk.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-02-13 19:14|| 2009-02-13 19:14|| Front Page Top

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