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Turkish Daily News
January 23, 2009 Friday
ERGENEKON SWEEPS UP THE POLICE AND THE MILITARY
The latest Ergenekon wave swept up 40 people yesterday morning, 20 of
who were police and military officers. The 40 are alleged to be part
of assassination teams directed by Ybrahim THORNahin, an ex-police
officer currently under arrest as part of the Ergenekon case
Police also raided the Metal Workers Union headquarters and the
Eurasia TV, or ART, in Ankara. The unions president Mustafa Ozbek,
VERSO Survey companys owner Erhan Goksel, and senior journalist Unal
Ynanc were also rounded up.
Police demanded the keys for locked rooms in the union building and
the buildings plans. Another raid was conducted on the THORNirinoethlu
Social and Strategic Research Center, presided over by Ynanc.
Turkmeneli Human Rights Association Head Savathorn Avcy was also taken
into custody. ART, a channel with an anti-Justice and Development
Party, or AKP, stance and with nationalist leanings, resumed
broadcasting from Cyprus.
Among detainees are 17 police officers from a special operations unit,
two non-commissioned officers, three lieutenants, seven journalists,
and five union activists. One of the detainees in Sivas has been
released.
Istanbul Acting Prosecutor Turan Colakkady said there might be more
detentions based on documents and evidence discovered in the
raids. "Searches and confiscations have been executed under court
order. Prosecutors were immediately informed of the detained people,
who have the right to object to the court," Colakkady said.
The searches and confiscations were the subject of controversy due to
the observance of procedural rules. Searches were undertaken in 30
locations in various cities, said Colakkady. The latest wave covered
13 cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Hakkari,
Elazyeth, Iethdyr, and Hatay.
"A supplementary indictment to the Ergenekon case is in its final
stages and will be completed in a month," said Colakkady.
[HH] Professor and party deputy leader released
Meanwhile, Professor Yalcyn Kucuk and deputy leader of Independent
Republic Party, or BCP, Engin Aydyn, arrested in an earlier wave of
Ergenekon detentions, were released yesterday.
The Ergenekon case aims to unveil and bring down an alleged
ultra-nationalist gang that has conspired against the government in an
attempt to provoke a coup. Prosecutors describe the alleged gang as a
terrorist organization
[HH] Opposition in uproar, major union prepares a summit
Union leaders, the main opposition Republican Peoples Party and
detainees relatives condemned the detentions as part of a suppression
campaign
"It is impossible to implicate any union in the Ergenekon case. The
reason for the unions existence is democracy itself," said President
of the Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions, or TURK-YTHORN Mustafa
Kumlu. TURK-YTHORN has decided to hold an extraordinary session to
assess the aftermath of Ozbeks detention and the Ergenekon case
Monday. Road Workers Union President Ramazan Aethar also visited
Ozbeks house.
"We are in a time when being a Turk in Turkey is a crime," said
Mustafa Ozbeks son, Haydar Ozbek.
VERSOs owner Goksel told reporters before he was taken to a police
station, "Ramazan Akyurek is my greatest enemy." Akyurek is Istanbul
Polices Intelligence unit chief and is implicated in the murder of
Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink by the Workers Party, or YP
leader, Doethu Perincek. Perincek, under arrest in the Ergenekon case,
claimed in 2007 that Akyurek was an Islamist and associated with
religious community chief Fethullah Gulen
A member of the directors board of the Security and Judiciary
Reporters Association, Mehmet Balykcyoethlu, said 50,000 books and
200,000 documents had been seized in the searches. Most of the books
were about Turkeys founder Ataturk, he said.
"The trade unions have been silenced and media organizations have been
intimidated," the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP,
spokesman Mustafa Ozyurek told reporters outside the union's
headquarters.
"Turkey is fast becoming an empire of fear," he said. CHP Deputy
Leader Yylmaz Atethorn said a "respected union is raided a day after
the president convened the top cadre of the state, and a broadcasting
channel has been oppressed."
CHP Istanbul Deputy Bayram Meral, in front of Ozbeks house where
police conducted a search, said the Ergenekon case was a distraction
while the country was being looted. "What is the fault of Ozbek. Not
being the governments mouthpiece?" he said.
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali THORNahin said he could not meddle in the
judiciarys affairs as a minister, speaking to reporters in the Hague
yesterday.
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan urged restraint from making
statements that may mean intervening in the judiciary's work
January 23, 2009 Friday
ERGENEKON SWEEPS UP THE POLICE AND THE MILITARY
The latest Ergenekon wave swept up 40 people yesterday morning, 20 of
who were police and military officers. The 40 are alleged to be part
of assassination teams directed by Ybrahim THORNahin, an ex-police
officer currently under arrest as part of the Ergenekon case
Police also raided the Metal Workers Union headquarters and the
Eurasia TV, or ART, in Ankara. The unions president Mustafa Ozbek,
VERSO Survey companys owner Erhan Goksel, and senior journalist Unal
Ynanc were also rounded up.
Police demanded the keys for locked rooms in the union building and
the buildings plans. Another raid was conducted on the THORNirinoethlu
Social and Strategic Research Center, presided over by Ynanc.
Turkmeneli Human Rights Association Head Savathorn Avcy was also taken
into custody. ART, a channel with an anti-Justice and Development
Party, or AKP, stance and with nationalist leanings, resumed
broadcasting from Cyprus.
Among detainees are 17 police officers from a special operations unit,
two non-commissioned officers, three lieutenants, seven journalists,
and five union activists. One of the detainees in Sivas has been
released.
Istanbul Acting Prosecutor Turan Colakkady said there might be more
detentions based on documents and evidence discovered in the
raids. "Searches and confiscations have been executed under court
order. Prosecutors were immediately informed of the detained people,
who have the right to object to the court," Colakkady said.
The searches and confiscations were the subject of controversy due to
the observance of procedural rules. Searches were undertaken in 30
locations in various cities, said Colakkady. The latest wave covered
13 cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Hakkari,
Elazyeth, Iethdyr, and Hatay.
"A supplementary indictment to the Ergenekon case is in its final
stages and will be completed in a month," said Colakkady.
[HH] Professor and party deputy leader released
Meanwhile, Professor Yalcyn Kucuk and deputy leader of Independent
Republic Party, or BCP, Engin Aydyn, arrested in an earlier wave of
Ergenekon detentions, were released yesterday.
The Ergenekon case aims to unveil and bring down an alleged
ultra-nationalist gang that has conspired against the government in an
attempt to provoke a coup. Prosecutors describe the alleged gang as a
terrorist organization
[HH] Opposition in uproar, major union prepares a summit
Union leaders, the main opposition Republican Peoples Party and
detainees relatives condemned the detentions as part of a suppression
campaign
"It is impossible to implicate any union in the Ergenekon case. The
reason for the unions existence is democracy itself," said President
of the Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions, or TURK-YTHORN Mustafa
Kumlu. TURK-YTHORN has decided to hold an extraordinary session to
assess the aftermath of Ozbeks detention and the Ergenekon case
Monday. Road Workers Union President Ramazan Aethar also visited
Ozbeks house.
"We are in a time when being a Turk in Turkey is a crime," said
Mustafa Ozbeks son, Haydar Ozbek.
VERSOs owner Goksel told reporters before he was taken to a police
station, "Ramazan Akyurek is my greatest enemy." Akyurek is Istanbul
Polices Intelligence unit chief and is implicated in the murder of
Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink by the Workers Party, or YP
leader, Doethu Perincek. Perincek, under arrest in the Ergenekon case,
claimed in 2007 that Akyurek was an Islamist and associated with
religious community chief Fethullah Gulen
A member of the directors board of the Security and Judiciary
Reporters Association, Mehmet Balykcyoethlu, said 50,000 books and
200,000 documents had been seized in the searches. Most of the books
were about Turkeys founder Ataturk, he said.
"The trade unions have been silenced and media organizations have been
intimidated," the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP,
spokesman Mustafa Ozyurek told reporters outside the union's
headquarters.
"Turkey is fast becoming an empire of fear," he said. CHP Deputy
Leader Yylmaz Atethorn said a "respected union is raided a day after
the president convened the top cadre of the state, and a broadcasting
channel has been oppressed."
CHP Istanbul Deputy Bayram Meral, in front of Ozbeks house where
police conducted a search, said the Ergenekon case was a distraction
while the country was being looted. "What is the fault of Ozbek. Not
being the governments mouthpiece?" he said.
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali THORNahin said he could not meddle in the
judiciarys affairs as a minister, speaking to reporters in the Hague
yesterday.
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan urged restraint from making
statements that may mean intervening in the judiciary's work