5th Search of Special Forces, 8 Soldiers Released

Judge Kayan carried out the fifth search of the Special Forces. The court released all 8 soldiers that had been arrested after the first search last week despite the prosecutors' request of keeping three military officers in detention.

Tolga Korkut

5th Search of Special Forces, 8 Soldiers Released

Judge Kadir Kayan from the Ankara 11^th High Criminal Court began with the fifth search of the Mobilization Regional Command yesterday morning (30 December). The Mobilization Regional Command is subordinate to the Special Forces Command. The unit can be searched by judges only because it holds documents which are classified as "state secrets".

The investigation was initiated upon alleged assassination plans against Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç. The plot was brought to light after two military officers had been arrested close to the private home of Bülent Arınç in Ankara.

The eight soldiers that were taken into custody as a result of the first search on 25 December were released yesterday (30 December).

After approximately ten hours of interrogation, the prosecutors released five of the arrested soldiers on Tuesday (29 December). The prosecutors requested to take the remaining three military officers into detention. According to the news, those three officers were Colonel Erkan Y.B., Major İbrahim C. and another colonel. Erkan Y.B. and İbrahim C. were the two soldiers arrested close to the deputy prime minister's home, giving the reason to get the investigation started in the first place. A judge on duty of the Ankara 12^th High Criminal Court released them.

The eight soldiers had been taken into custody in the early hours of 26 December subsequent to the first search of the Special Forces Command. The General Staff had declared that the two military officers Erkan Y.B. and İbrahim C. were living in the same neighbourhood as Deputy Prime Minister Arınç and that they had been following up a soldier suspected of leaking information to third parties.

Fourth run: 14-hour search

The fourth search carried out by judge Kayan started before noon on 29 December and was finished after 14 hours at around midnight.

The General Staff announced on Tuesday (29 December) that the search was carried out by judge Kayan himself and that it had been prolonged because of interruptions due to recreational breaks and administrative work, saying that "the investigation might go on for some more time". (TK/VK)