Former Air Force Commander General İbrahim Fırtına, former Naval Forces Commander retired general Özden Örnek, former 1st Army Commander retired general Ergin Saygun and lieutenant general Ayhan Taş are among the eight generals arrested together with another ten colonels on 22 February under charges related to the Ergenekon terror organization.
The Eregekon organization is a clandestine terrorist organization nested within the state and the military charged with various crimes staged for the ultimate purpose of triggering a military coup.
The group of arrested military staff also includes lieutenant general Engin Alan, retired Naval Staff Colonel Ümit Özcan, senior Rear Admiral Ali Deniz Kutluk, retired lieutenant general Mustafa Çalış and retired colonels Yusuf Ziya Toker and Hasan Barhri Arslan.
As reported by the news website Ntvmsnbc.com, the house, office and summer residence in the south of the country of 1st Army Commander retired General Çetin Doğan were searched in the scope of the "Balyoz" coup plan. Doğan was arrested as well.
"Balyoz" is the name for a coup allegedly plotted by the armed forces. Apparently, a group of people mapped out a detailed and extensive plan from the end of 2002 till March 2003 called the "Balyoz ('Hammer') Operation Plan.
Searches were carried out in 17 different places in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Apart from Doğan's premises, the Mehmetçik Foundation and furthermore the home and office of retired Brigadier General Süha Tanyeli were searched. Tanyeli is the former head of the General Staff Presidency Strategic Research and Study Centre (SAREM).
Sven of the arrested persons were taken to Istanbul by plane and arrived at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Anatolian side of the city in the early afternoon. Former Air Force Commander General Fırtına and the other six former military officials were brought to the Istanbul Police Directorate.
Chief of General Staff İlker Başbuğ cancelled his trip to Egypt scheduled for today (23 February) due to the course of the events.
Erdoğan: About 40 people arrested
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is currently paying a visit to Spain, stated that almost 40 people have been arrested. He said this incident was now taken under legal procedures. "I do not know what will be the outcome of this operation. The legal assessment will be carried out".
General Fırtına, in office at the time when the Sarıkız, Ayışığı and Yakamoz coup plans were prepared, General Yalman and Rear Admiral Örnek were interrogated by the four prosecutors carrying out the Ergenekon investigation. They were released after ten hours.
Journalist Görmüş: Arrested persons signed the "Balyoz" coup plan
Taraf newspaper journalist Alper Görmüş voiced his opinion that generals Örnek and Fırtına were arrested because they signed the coup plan. According to Görmüş, objections such as "The plan was worked out but there was no attempt of its implementation" will be put forward in the coming days.
Journalist Görmüş assumes that everybody wants to take the putchists to account now. He indicated to be cautious about possible future statements like "Yes, they worked out a coup plan but did the tanks actually rumble down the streets?" or stating "absurd legal reasons". (EÖ/VK)
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