Another Former Turkish General Arrested Over Alleged Coup Plot

Former Military Chief Arrested In Alleged Plot Against Turkish Government -- CNN

Istanbul (CNN) -- Turkey's former military chief was behind bars Friday pending trial for his alleged role in a plot to overthrow the government.

Gen. Ilker Basbug is the highest-ranking officer to be accused in a long-running tussle between the Islamic-backed government and Turkey's secular establishment, defended by the military.

Basbug was arrested and taken to Silivri prison after testifying for seven hours Thursday in an Istanbul court, Basbug's lawyer Ilkay Sezer told reporters.

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More News On Turkey's Former Military Chief Arrested Over Coup Plot

Ex-Chief of Turkish Army Is Arrested in Widening Case Alleging Coup Plot -- New York Times
Turkey’s former military chief arrested over alleged anti-government plot -- Washington Post/AP
Turkish ex-army chief in jail over anti-government plot -- Reuters
Turkey arrests former military chief -- Financial Times
Former leader of Turkey's army arrested, charged with coup plot -- The National
Turkish military's best and brightest now behind bars -- Reuters
Q&A: Turkey's military and the alleged coup plots -- BBC
Turkey coup plots: Major suspects -- BBC

My Comment: The Generals are not the only ones who are now being arrested.

Turkey's Military Generals On Trial For Plotting To Overthrow The Country's Government

Photo: Long-running tensions exist between Turkey's military and government

Turkish General In Court On Sledgehammer 'Plot' Charges -- BBC

One of Turkey's most senior generals has appeared in court with 27 others to face charges of plotting to undermine the government.

General Bilgin Balanli was in line to become commander of the air force until his arrest three months ago.

He is among hundreds of military officers accused of planning to bring down the governing AK Party led by PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2003.

Some 200 officers went on trial last December on similar charges.

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Update #1: Alleged Coup Plotters Stand Trial in Turkey -- Defense News/AFP
Update #2: Alleged military coup plotters appear in court in Turkey -- RFI

My Comment: To be the first of many trials, the Turkish government has positioned itself to diminish the military's long history of influencing Turkish politics. These trials are going to proceed quickly .... and I expect former senior generals going to jail when this is over.

Tensions Increasing Between The Government And It's Military In Turkey

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul, flanked by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Chief of Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, right, meet at the presidential palace in Ankara on Thursday. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential palace press office/Reuters)

More Officers Charged in 2003 Turkish Coup Plot -- Voice of America

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says no one should consider themselves above the law.

His remarks to lawmakers Friday come after an additional 11 military officers were charged with involvement in an alleged 2003 coup plot.

The latest suspects include two admirals and a retired general. They will stay in jail pending a trial.

Authorities have arrested thirty-one officers so far in connection with the alleged plot, raising tensions with the armed forces.

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More News On The Crisis In Turkey

Turkey Charges 11 More in Coup Plot -- Wall Street Journal
Turkish markets stung by new military detentions -- Reuters
Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 'coup plot' warning -- BBC
In Turkey, a Showdown Between the Government and Military -- Time Magazine
Turkish views on 'coup' charges -- BBC

Turkey's Government And Its Military Have Not Resolved Their Differences

Turkey Frees Officers As Tensions Rise -- Wall Street Journal

President, pledging a constitutional resolution to standoff with military, releases pair arrested in coup-plot sweep.

ISTANBUL—President Abdullah Gül of Turkey sought to assuage fears of political instability Thursday, pledging that a growing confrontation with the country's military would be resolved within the constitution.

Mr. Gül issued his statement after a rare three-hour, three-way meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and army chief Ilker Basbug. Hours later, the two most senior of some 50 military officers detained Monday on charges of plotting a coup—a former chief of the air force and of the navy—were released without charge.

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Turkish President Abdullah Gul (center), Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (left), and Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug met in Ankara on February 25. Photo from Radio Free Europe

More News On Turkey

In Turkey, a Showdown Between the Government and Military -- Time Magazine
Turkey’s Leaders Seek to Defuse Crisis -- New York Times
Plot thickens in Turkey 'coup plan' -- BBC
Turkey Frees Top Army Chiefs in Probe, Eases Political Tension -- Business Week/Bloomberg
Turkish leaders discuss alleged military plot -- CBC
Turkey frees alleged coup commanders -- ABC News (Australia)
Government's Pressure On Military Edges Turkey Toward Confrontation -- Radio Free Europe
The Turkish military under the ’sledgehammer’ -- World Focus
Turkey's coup plotters: Lies and whispers -- The Economist

Former Top Generals Detained In Turkish Coup Inquiry

A Turkish soldier stands guard at the entrance to the military quarters of the War Academies while police search the residence of a retired army general in Istanbul. Photo from Radio Free Europe

Turkey Arrests Military Officers in Alleged 2003 Plot -- Wall Street Journal

ISTANBUL—Turkish antiterrorism police Monday arrested more than a dozen senior retired and serving military officers in a sweep linked to a massive case against the country's so-called "deep state," which for decades wielded power over elected governments.

Chief of the General Staff, Ilker Basbug, delayed a visit to Egypt in response to the arrests, according to Turkish news-agency reports. The 40-plus detentions in major cities across the country included former heads of the air force and navy, and were made in connection with a lurid alleged 2003 coup plot known as "Sledgehammer."

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More News On The Arrest Of Turkey's Top Generals

Detention Of Generals Accelerates Turkey's Political Showdown -- Radio Free Europe
Top brass grilled over Turkey 'coup plot' -- AFP
Coup plot accused appear in Istanbul court -- Euronews
Turkish police arrest 50 in move against anti-Islamist coup -- Times Online
Turkish police arrest 49 military officers over suspected coup plot -- The Guardian
Top-ranking officers arrested over alleged plot to topple government -- Sydney Morning Herald
Retired military chiefs held over Turkish coup plot -- The Telegraph
Former Top Generals Detained in Turkish Coup Inquiry -- New York Times
Turkey's Islamist government lowers the boom on secular military -- World Tribune

Coups Are A Thing Of The Past For Turkey: General

Photo: Gen Basbug has ordered investigations into the allegedly leaked documents.

Turkey General Dismisses Coup Plot Allegations -- BBC

The head of Turkey's armed forces has responded angrily to a newspaper report accusing the military of plotting to overthrow the government.

Gen Ilker Basbug delivered a televised address in which he warned that the military's patience over a stream of allegations had limits.

He insisted coups were a thing of the past, and that power should only change hands through democratic means.

Turkey has experienced three military coups in its recent history.

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More News On Coup Rumors In Turkey

Turkey's top general talks for first time over alleged coup plot -- World Bulletin
Turkish army chief says coups 'thing of past' -- Daily Star/AFP
Army chief adopts threatening language against coup row -- Today's Zaman
Coup Plans and "Information Leakage" on General Staff's Agenda -- Bianet
Top General Furious Over Coup Claims, Sends Messages to Government -- Turkish Weekly

86 People Charged Over Turkey 'Coup Plot'

Istanbul chief prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin speaks to
the media in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, July 14, 2008.

From The Times Online:

Turkish prosecutors have charged 86 people with terrorism over an alleged plot by militant secularists to overthrow the Islamic-rooted government.

Retired army officers, politicians and journalists are among those named on a 2,500-page indictment filed by Chief Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin today, following months of speculation over a case which has fuelled political tensions and rocked financial markets.

Opponents of the government accused it of mounting a politically-motivated campaign against secularists as revenge for court moves to shut down the ruling AK Party, which has been at the centre of a fierce debate over Turkey's identity since its election in 2002.

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More News On Turkey "Coup Plot"

Alleged coup plotters in Turkey to face trial on terrorism charges -- Haaretz
86 charged in Turkey for coup plot -- CBC
Turkey charges 86 for 'coup plot' -- BBC
Turkey to charge 86 over anti-government plot -- AFP
Turkey Indicts 86 on Terrorism Charges -- Voice Of America

My Comment: It is interesting that this case is moving forward as the government is also receiving a defeat from the judiciary on its constitutionality as well sinking poll numbers.

If this plot is real, it would reveal the "stupidity" of the plotters. Why plan for a coup when you are winning everything politically as well as legally. Something does not add up.