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COUP SUSPECTS 'PROTECTED' BY TOP GENERAL, SAYS CELIK
Hurriyet
Aug 11, 2011
Turkey
Former Chief of General Staff Gen. Ä°lker BaĆ~_bug "protected" suspects
in an alleged military plan targeting the ruling government, Deputy
Prime Minister Huseyin Celik claimed in critical comments Thursday.
"The Turkish Armed Forces is a 1 million-strong community, from its
chief of General Staff to the soldiers, and among them there may be
some 1,000 people who seek to stage a coup. But you put the institution
under suspicion if you institutionally protect these people," Celik
told CNNTurk on Thursday, referring to Gen. BaĆ~_bug, who headed the
military when the alleged "Internet Memorandum" was prepared.
The ongoing Internet Memorandum case refers to an alleged document by
the General Staff about setting up 42 Internet sites to distribute
propaganda against the ruling Justice and Development Party, or
AKP, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and Greeks and
Armenians.
"Did he [BaĆ~_bug] do what was necessary? [I wish] he had handed over
those people even when they were in active service to the military
judiciary. You know the memorandum was prepared within the chain of
command in the army. If this is true, this means it was prepared with
the initiative of the top figure in the military," Celik said.
According to the deputy prime minister, BaĆ~_bug characterized
weapons unearthed in the probe as pipes and called the memorandum
with signatures on it a "piece of paper" in a press conference, while
indicating that those who engage in anti-democratic approaches can't
remain in the army.
"The Internet Memorandum is one of the most interesting incidents in
Turkish history. It is hard to swallow," Celik told CNNTurk.
"I don't want to accuse anybody. The judicial process continues,"
he added. "I hope it will reveal who is right and who is wrong and
the public conscience is relieved."
Hurriyet
Aug 11, 2011
Turkey
Former Chief of General Staff Gen. Ä°lker BaĆ~_bug "protected" suspects
in an alleged military plan targeting the ruling government, Deputy
Prime Minister Huseyin Celik claimed in critical comments Thursday.
"The Turkish Armed Forces is a 1 million-strong community, from its
chief of General Staff to the soldiers, and among them there may be
some 1,000 people who seek to stage a coup. But you put the institution
under suspicion if you institutionally protect these people," Celik
told CNNTurk on Thursday, referring to Gen. BaĆ~_bug, who headed the
military when the alleged "Internet Memorandum" was prepared.
The ongoing Internet Memorandum case refers to an alleged document by
the General Staff about setting up 42 Internet sites to distribute
propaganda against the ruling Justice and Development Party, or
AKP, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and Greeks and
Armenians.
"Did he [BaĆ~_bug] do what was necessary? [I wish] he had handed over
those people even when they were in active service to the military
judiciary. You know the memorandum was prepared within the chain of
command in the army. If this is true, this means it was prepared with
the initiative of the top figure in the military," Celik said.
According to the deputy prime minister, BaĆ~_bug characterized
weapons unearthed in the probe as pipes and called the memorandum
with signatures on it a "piece of paper" in a press conference, while
indicating that those who engage in anti-democratic approaches can't
remain in the army.
"The Internet Memorandum is one of the most interesting incidents in
Turkish history. It is hard to swallow," Celik told CNNTurk.
"I don't want to accuse anybody. The judicial process continues,"
he added. "I hope it will reveal who is right and who is wrong and
the public conscience is relieved."