Another Two Military Officers Detained

Konya Provincial Gendarmerie Command Colonel of General Staff Hüseyin Özçoban and Gendarmerie Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Kelleli were taken into detention on 28 February. Both Özçoban and Kelleli had been arrested within the second wave of detentions related to the "Balyoz" coup plan. The "Balyoz" ('Sledgehammer') coup plan was plotted by a group of people within the armed forces in 2002/03. It was aimed at creating disorder in the country by terrorist actions, which should eventually lead to a coup.

Out of a total of 18 people arrested in the second wave of arrests, 15 were taken to court and five of these persons were released after having been interrogated by the prosecutor. Ten military officers, one of them retired, were requested to be detained.

35 people detained

The 10^th Criminal Court on Duty decided to take Özçoban and Kelleli to prison. Retired Command Sergeant Major Ertan Karagözlü and a further seven military officers active on duty were released.

As reported by the Turkish news channel CNN Türk, Özçoban has been taken to the Hasdal Military Prison under charges of being involved in a plan to bomb the Beyazit Mosque in the historic part of Istanbul. Together with the latest arrests a total of 35 suspects have been taken to prison in the context of the Balyoz investigation.

The military officers are detained on the grounds of "the attempt to overthrow the constitutional order by means of coercion and violence". At the same time, three lieutenant generals summoned to give their statements did not appear at court by reason of medical reports.

Retired military officers Doğan and Alan in detention

The Istanbul 10^th High Criminal Court on Duty detained former Army Commander retired General Çetin Doğan and retired Lieutenant General Engin Alan in the night of 26 February.

The Court on Duty had Doğan and Alan taken to Metris Prison as "first degree crime suspects". Former Naval Forces Command retired Admiral Özden Örnek and former Air Force Command retired Admiral İbrahim Fırtına were released on 25 February after having been interrogated.

"Secret" instructions from prosecutor Engin for police and gendarmerie

Istanbul Public Chief Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin has sent a letter qualified as "secret and urgent" to the Provincial Police Directorate and the Istanbul Central Command on 27 February. Engin requested to proceed according to the directive once the Public Deputy Chief Prosecutor on duty would issue his assent.

Engin gave the instruction to "return the document in case the Deputy Chief Prosecutor would not sign it". In another document sent on 22 January, the Chief Prosecutor furthermore requested Deputy Chief Prosecutor Turan Çolakkadı to deal with the proceedings carried out by the police in a proper way.

Çolakkadı had requested to hand the listening records to the investigating prosecutor only and keep them in a locked cabinet otherwise. (EÖ/VK)