Ergenekon network

The "Ergenekon network" or "Ergenekon" is an uncovered clandestine ultra-nationalist organization in Turkey with ties to the country's military and security apparatus. According to the indictment prepared by three Turkish prosecutors handling the Ergenekon case, the group, which has been compared to Operation Gladio, [cite news|url=http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080829/REVIEW/607415999/-1/ART
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=Party of one
work=National
date=2008-08-29
quote=The network has been compared to the “Gladio” in Italy
first=Cihan
last=Tugal] [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&Date=12.08.2008&ArticleID=893195
title=Gladyo-Ergenekon yol kardeşliği
work=Radikal
date=2008-08-12
accessdate=2008-08-12
language=Turkish] [cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/4463231.asp?gid=69
accessdate=2008-08-14
title=’Ergenekon’ yapılanması
work=Hürriyet
date=2006-05-24
quote=Ergenekon, Gladio’nun Türkiye’deki yapılanması olarak kabul ediliyor.
first=Toygun
last=Atilla
language=Turkish] is an embodiment of the "deep state", an anti-democratic coalition that holds "the reins of real power" in Turkey.cite journal
author = Freely, Maureen
authorlink = Maureen Freely
year = 2007
month = May
title = Why they killed Hrant Dink
journal = Index on Censorship
volume = 36
issue = 2
pages = 15–29
doi = 10.1080/03064220701334477
url=http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2007-06-06-freely-en.html
quote=The deep state is Turkish shorthand for a faceless clique inside the Turkish state that has, some claim, held the reins of real power throughout the republic's 84-year history. There are some who see it on a continuum with the shady networks that 'took care of business' (including, some believe, the Armenian business) in the last years of the Ottoman Empire. The deep state is held to be based in the army, but closely linked with MIT (the national intelligence service), the judiciary, and (since the 1960s) the mafia.]

It has been indicted on charges of plotting to foment unrest in Turkey, "inter alia" by assassinating intellectuals, politicians, judges, military staff, religious leaders, and other public figures including Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk, with the ultimate goal of toppling the present government. [cite news
url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/04/turkey.thefarright
title=Mystery of a killer elite fuels unrest in Turkey
work=The Guardian
first=Jason
last=Burke
date=2008-05-04
accessdate=2008-07-12] cite news
first=Sarah
last=Rainsford
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7225889.stm
title='Deep state plot' grips Turkey
work=BBC News
date=2008-02-04
accessdate=2008-05-06] [cite news
url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/home/9318347.asp?gid=244&sz=64544
title=Turkish commanders and anti-AKP journalist taken into custody
work=Hürriyet
date=2008-07-01
accessdate=2008-07-01] [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=252382
accessdate=2008-09-24
title=Ergenekon'un yakın tarihi (4)
section=Türkiye
work=Radikal
date=2008-04-08
first=Ismet
last=Berkan
quote=Bugün 'Ergenekon' adıyla andığımız, benim zaman zaman 'AKP gitsin de nasıl giderse gitsin örgütü' adını da kullandığım 'oluşum'...
language=Turkish] The coup was planned to take place in 2009. [cite news|url=http://www.taraf.com.tr/haber.asp?id=1177
accessdate=2008-08-14
title=2009’da kıyamet gibi kan akacaktı
work=Taraf
first=Neşe
last=Düzel
date=2008-01-28
language=Turkish
quote=Ergenekon operasyonunda tutuklananlar da 2009’da darbe yapmayı planlamışlar. Adamın aklına durup dururken 2009 iyi bir sene diye gelmedi herhalde. 2009 insanın aklına bir şeyler getiriyor. Şimdiki genelkurmay başkanı 2008 yazında emekli oluyor. Darbecilerin dayandığı, güvendiği bir şeyler olmalı ki, 2009 için böyle bir hesap yapıyorlardı. Partial English translation in cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?haberno=132668
first=Ekrem
last=Dumanli
title=Coup in 2009
work=Today's Zaman
date=2008-01-29 and cite news|url=http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=148593
accessdate=2008-08-21
title=Question of the decade: What if Ergenekon had succeeded?
date=2008-07-27
work=Zaman
first=Kerim
last=Balci] [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=132905
accessdate=2008-08-21
title=Ergenekon academic called for coup d’état
date=2008-01-31
work=Today's Zaman
first=Isa
last=Yazar
quote=...alluded to plans for a military coup in 2009] [cite news|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article497970.ece/Schrijver_Pamuk_doelwit_van_beramers_coup
accessdate=2008-08-21
title=Schrijver Pamuk doelwit van beramers coup
agency=ANP/RTR
work=Volkskrant
date=2008-01-24
quote=...een staatsgreep in 2009.
language=Dutch] [cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL266078220080126
accessdate=2008-08-21
title=Turkish nationalists charged with plotting: report
agency=Reuters
date=2008-01-26
quote=The newspapers also said the group was preparing a series of bomb attacks aimed at fomenting chaos ahead of a coup in 2009...] [cite news|url=http://english.sabah.com.tr/16EAB833DA38420889B4382B63683A72.html
accessdate=2008-08-21
title=The organization was planning a coup in 2009
date=2008-01-24
work=Sabah] This follows allegations published in "Nokta" that several abortive coups with the same intent were planned a few years ago.

86 people, including important personalities from the army, business and the secular press, have been charged with conspiracy as of 14 July 2008. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7504900.stm Turkey charges 86 for 'coup plot'] , "BBC News", 14 July 2008.] Those arrested have included nationalist lawyer Kemal Kerinçsiz; the leader of the nationalist Workers' Party Doğu Perinçek; retired brigadier general Veli Küçük, retired full general Hurşit Tolon, and retired full general Şener Eruygur. İlhan Selçuk, a staunchly secular columnist at "Cumhuriyet"'s daily, has also been indicted on charges of being the civilian leader of Ergenekon. [ [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=148657 Ergenekon civilian wing leader is İlhan Selçuk] , "Today's Zaman", 28 July 2008.] Tuncay Özkan, former owner of Kanal Türk TV station, and 16 others, were detained in September 2008.

65 people are detained as of September 22,cite news|url=http://www.gazeteport.com.tr/GUNCEL/NEWS/GP_290738
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=İşte Ergenekon'da son durum
work=Gazeteport
date=2008-09-22
first=Sedef Senkal
last=Demir
language=Turkish] and trials will begin on October 20, 2008.cite news|url=http://todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=152326
accessdate=2008-09-06
title=Ergenekon has links to security and judiciary bodies
date=2008-09-06
work=Today's Zaman
first=Erkan
last=Acar]

What is Ergenekon?

In an interview given to the Workers' Party's weekly "Aydınlık" on 5 January 1997, journalist Erol Mütercimler said Ergenekon is a Gladio-esque gang hidden deep within the state:cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=146843
title=Ergenekon is above General Staff, MİT
accessdate=2008-07-12
date=2008-07-07
work=Today's Zaman
first=Kamil
last=Maman] "It is above the General Staff, the MİT and the Prime Minister. There are generals, heads of police departments and businessmen within this organization." Mütercimler was detained during Ergenekon operations but released. Mütercimler is widely credited as being the first person to have written about Ergenekon:cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=146843
title=‘Ergenekon is above General Staff, MİT’
accessdate=2008-07-12
date=2008-07-07
work=Today's Zaman
first=Kamil
last=Maman]

Mütercimler heard of the organization's existence from retired general Memduh Ünlütürk, who was involved in the Ziverbey torture incidents following the 1971 coup, [cite news|url=http://www.aksam.com.tr/yazar.asp?a=113405,10,195
accessdate=2008-08-26
title=Türk Ordusu’nu sivil yargıya mahkum ettirecekler
first=Rıza
last=Zelyut
work=Akşam
date=2008-03-30
quote=Bu işkencehane, İstanbul Erenköy’deki meşhur Ziverbey Köşkü’dür.
İşkencecilerin başında General Memduh Ünlütürk bulunmaktadır.
language=Turkish] and murdered by Dev Sol militants on April 7, 1991. [cite news|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/archives.php?id=6584
accessdate=2008-08-26
title=Why Can't the Esref Bitlis Case Be Solved?
work=Turkish Daily News
date=1998-03-29
first=Selin
last=Kalman] Major general Ünlütürk told Mütercimler, who has a military background, that Ergenekon was founded with the support of the CIA and Pentagon. [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&ArticleID=886302
accessdate=2008-08-26
title=Kim kimdir? İşadamı, gazeteci, profesör, emekli komutan
section=Politika
work=Radikal
date=2008-07-02
quote=Ünlütürk Paşa kendisinin de Ergenekon’un içinde olduğunu söyledi ve dedi ki, ‘Ergenekon Genelkurmay’ın da, hükümetlerin de, bürokrasinin de herkesin üstünde bir örgüt. Yasayla falan kurulmuş değil. 27 Mayıs darbesinden sonra CIA, Pentagon tarafından kurdurtulmuş. Bunun içindeki insanlar da buraya hizmet eden insanlar. Ama bunlar vatana ihanet olsun diye hizmet etmez. ‘Biz vatanı kurtarıyoruz’ düşüncesiyle örgütün içinde yer almışlardır. Ben daha başka insanlardan Ergenekon’u araştırdığımda şunu gördüm. İçinde subaylar var, emniyetçiler var, profesörler var, gazeteciler var, işadamları var, sıradan insanlar var. Bugün çeteler dediğimiz bu küçük birimler var ya, işte bu birimler Ergenekon’un içinde birer bölüm, birer parça.
language=Turkish]

One of the first articles about Ergenekon to appear in the Turkish media was by Taha Kıvanç, [cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&ArticleID=894697&Date=18.07.2008&Kategori=siyaset
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=‘Ergenekon Temel Belgesi’ni ortaya Fehmi Koru çıkarmış
section=Siyaset
work=Milliyet
date=2008-09-23
language=Turkish] who based his 2001 article [cite news|url=http://yenisafak.com.tr/arsiv/2001/NISAN/30/tkivanc.html
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=Hayaller gerçek galiba
work=Yeni Şafak
first=Taha
last=Kıvanç
authorlink=Fehmi Koru
date=2001-04-30
language=Turkish] on a report dated 29 October 1999 and titled "Ergenekon: Analysis, Structuring, Management, and Development Project". [cite news
url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Guncel/HaberDetay.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&Kategori=guncel&ArticleID=972200&Date=29.07.2008&b=Ergenekon%20bank!
title=Ergenekon banka kuracak, ticaret yapacakmış!
work=Milliyet
first=Esra
last=Alus
date=2008-07-29
accessdate=2008-08-10
language=Turkish] cite news|url=http://i.milliyet.com.tr/ergenekon/iddianame.aspx?sayfa=32
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=Ergenekon İddianamesi
work=Milliyet
page=32
language=Turkish]

Based on documents allegedly prepared by one of the prosecutors, an article in "Sabah" says that the organization consists of six cells with the following personnel: [cite news|url=http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2008/09/21//haber,5E1890B0612D427780EF958BF3EDF44D.html
accessdate=2008-09-22
title='Bir Numara' örgütü 6 hücreden yönetiyor
work=Sabah
date=2008-09-21
first=Veli
last=Sariboga
language=Turkish]
* Secret and civil cells liaisons: Veli Küçük and Muzaffer Tekin.
* Lobbyists: M. Zekeriya Öztürk, Kemal Kerinçsiz, İsmail Yıldız, and Erkut Ersoy.
* NGO head: Sevgi Erenerol. Kemal Kerinçsiz (assistant).
* Theory, Propaganda, and Disinformation Department head: Doğu Perinçek.
* Mafia structuring head: Veli Küçük. Muzaffer Tekin yardımcısı.
* Underground contacts: Ali Yasak, Sami Hoştan, Semih Tufan Gülaltay, and Sedat Peker.
* Terrorist organizations heads: Veli Küçük and Doğu Perinçek.
* University structuring: Kemal Yalçın Alemdaroğlu, Emin Gürses, Habib Ümit Sayın
* Research and information gathering head: Mehmet Zekeriya Öztürk.
* Judicial branch heads: Kemal Kerinçsiz, Fuat Turgut, and Nusret Senem.

Of those, the structure of only the "Theory" department has been deciphered as of September 2008. [cite news|url=http://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2008/09/21//haber,E4C194D532394A2C89A85DCBFB014FB7.html
accessdate=2008-09-22
title=Beş hücre hâlâ deşifre edilemedi
date=2008-09-21
work=Sabah
language=Turkish]

Ergenekon investigation

The investigation began in July 2007, when it was discovered that a house in the Ümraniye district of Istanbul was being used as a storehouse for arms and ammunition.

The Turkish media reports that the prosecutor carrying out the investigation asked the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish police officials whether an organization called Ergenekon is a terrorist organization or not. The National Intelligence Organization and police officials admitted that it is a terrorist organization, while the General Staff said it did not have information to support this claim. [cite news
url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/9352957.asp?gid=244&sz=537
title=Indictment on Turkey's Ergenekon to delay further due to detainments
work=Hurriyet
date=2008-07-04
accessdate=2008-07-04] Ergenekon chief prosecutor Zekeriya Öz revealed that the MIT had been aware of the network's existence since July 2002. [cite news|url=http://taraf.com.tr/haber.asp?id=13763
work=Taraf
title=Ergenekon’u altı yıldır biliyorduk
date=2008-08-03
accessdate=2008-08-03
language=Turkish
first=Bahar
last=Kilicgedik] The first informant was a policeman who said that he had found detailed documents in the seized computer of Tuncay Güney İpek, a former journalist who was arrested on charges of conspiracy. Güney is now rabbi "Daniel Levi" at the Jacobs House Jewish Community Center in Toronto, Canada. [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=148177&bolum=101
work=Today's Zaman
title=Ergenekon network's deep ties grow deeper with new revelations
date=2008-07-22
accessdate=2008-08-03]

Legal details

The Istanbul Court of Assize for Organised Crimes and Terror Crimes is handling the investigation, officially numbered 2007/1536 and sometimes referred to by the name of the location where a cache of weapons was found in 2007, Ümraniye. [cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=149154&bolum=100
title=Ergenekon bomb link in unresolved cold cases
accessdate=2008-08-14
date=2008-08-02
work=Today's Zaman] The indictment number is 2008/623 and the base number ( _tr. esas numarasi) is 2008/968.

The prosecutors are Zekeriya Öz (prosecutor-in-chief), Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel and Nihat Taşkın. [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=150071
title=Ergenekon indictment reopens gendarmerie major’s murder case
accessdate=2008-08-14
date=2008-08-13
work=Today's Zaman] The judge is Köksal Şengün. [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&ArticleID=890274
accessdate=2008-09-15
title=Ergenekon düğümünü o çözecek
section=Türkiye
work=Radikal
date=2008-07-25
language=Turkish
first=Eyup
last=Erdogan]

Allegations

The investigation exposed alleged links between an armed attack on the Turkish Council of State in 2006 that left a judge dead, a bombing of a secularist newspaper, threats and attacks against people accused of being unpatriotic and the 1996 Susurluk incident, as well as links to the plans of some groups in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to overthrow the present government. According to the investigation, Ergenekon had a role in the murder of Hrant Dink, a journalist of Armenian ethnicity. [cite news
url=http://www.taraf.com.tr/yazar.asp?mid=1157
accessdate=2008-07-12
work=Taraf
first=Neşe
last=Düzel
title=Ali Bayramoğlu: 'Darbe toplantılarına gazeteciler katıldı'
date=2008-07-08
language=Turkish] [cite web
url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/07/turkey-arrests-two-ex-generals-for.php
accessdate=2008-07-07
first=Devin
last=Montgomery
title=Turkey arrests two ex-generals for alleged coup plot
work=JURIST
date=2008-07-12] , as well as in the killing of Italian priest Father Andrea Santoro in February 2006 and the brutal murders of three Christians, one a German national, killed in the province of Malatya in April 2007. [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=150071 Ergenekon indictment reopens gendarmerie major’s murder case] , "Today's Zaman", 13 August 2008.] Furthermore, files about JİTEM, a covert and illegal intelligence agency within the gendarmerie, related the assassination of former JİTEM commander Cem Ersever, killed in November 1993, to Ergenekon.

Documents seized in the investigation have also revealed that the group planned a bomb attack in İstanbul's Taksim Square to trigger a chaotic environment that would eventually lead to military intervention. It is also alleged that those detained were involved in provocation and agitation during the Gazi incidents of 1995, when tens of people died in clashes with the police in demonstrations after an attack at an Alevi coffeehouse in the neighborhood.Fact|date=July 2008

Moreover, documents found at the nationalist Workers' Party headquarters also showed that the MIT intelligence agency had paid in the 1980s neo-nationalist militants, headed by Grey Wolves member Abdullah Catli, to carry out assassinations against ASALA and PKK members, as well as the bombing of the Armenian genocide memorial in Alfortville, Paris, on May 3, 1984. [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=150621 Ergenekon document reveals MİT’s assassination secrets] , "Today's Zaman", 19 August 2008.]

Another document, named "Turkish Woman Master Plan," accounts for a plan to redefine women's role in Turkish society. The document was kept as a piece of evidence of Ergenekon's social engineering plans.

Republican Work Group

"Taraf" daily reported on 7 June 2008 the existence of a group set up in 2002 called the Republican Work Group ("Cumhuriyet Çalışma Grubu", CÇG), which was set up within the Turkish Gendarmerie following the election of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the November 2002 elections.cite news
url=http://www.taraf.com.tr/haber.asp?id=9728
work=Taraf
accessdate=2008-07-12
title=Ordu, siyaseti ve sivil toplumu bu merkezden yönlendiriyor: Cumhuriyet Çalışma Grubu
date=2008-06-07
language=Turkish
first=Mehmet
last=Baransu] The new group, established by Eruygur, has been involved in activities to influence politics and the social atmosphere in Turkey. Eruygur was appointed gendarmerie commander in 2002, the year the AKP entered office.

The CÇG's goal was allegedly to overthrow the government -- perceived by the secular establishment as an islamist threat to the secular order of the nation -- utilizing the judiciary and academics as well as other segments of society.

"Taraf" cited its source as an unnamed military officer who provided a CD on which information about the CÇG was stored in slide shows and text documents. The daily continued its report on June 8, noting that university rectors and civil society groups were among those working in cooperation with the CÇG. According to information on the CD, the CÇG has no legal standing and is not shown as being a part of the military's official organizational structure.

The CÇG has allegedly initiated a number of activities, reports and events since early 2003. It has blacklisted a multitude of individuals, agencies, schools, civil society groups, business owners and public agencies and their employees for their religious affiliations, "Taraf" said.

Alleged Ergenekon-PKK link

According to articles in the government-friendly "Zaman", there are links between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the alleged Ergenekon network.cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=147049
title=Ergenekon-PKK terror link emerges as probe widens
work=Today's Zaman
date=2008-07-09
accessdate=2008-07-10]

"Zaman" quoted a senior intelligence office, Bülent Orakoğlu, as having said that the PKK, Dev Sol, Hezbollah, and Hizb ut-Tahrir are artificial organizations set up by the network, and that Abdullah Öcalan himself is an Ergenekon member.cite news|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=741271&title=istihbaratcidan-sok-iddia-apo-ergenekon-uyesidir
accessdate=2008-09-22
title=İstihbaratçıdan şok iddia: Apo Ergenekon üyesidir
work=Zaman
date=2008-09-22
language=Turkish] "Zaman" also writes that the former PKK leader, Şemdin Sakık, said in his testimony that the Ergenekon network was in close contact with the group and even co-operated with it on several occasions.According to Sakık, he was brought to Turkey by a group of men led by Mahmut Yıldırım, also known as Yeşil (Green)—a mafia leader wanted for a series of murders and who had past links to the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). Yeşil's name had surfaced in the report on the Susurluk scandal. [ [http://www.tihv.org.tr/EN/data/Yayinlar/Human_Rights_Reports/Ra1998HumanRigthsReport.pdf 1998 Report] from the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, chapter II, "SUSURLUK SCANDAL: Counter-guerilla Affairs", p.51 en icon]

He said the Ergenekon gang planned to cooperate with a number of terrorist organizations, including the PKK, to achieve its objectives. "This cooperation was realized with Doğu Perinçek (the leader of the Workers' Party) and several other figures. Cemil Bayık (a senior PKK leader) was also among these figures," he remarked.

In another "Zaman" article, JITEM informant Abdulkadir Aygan made a similar remark. [cite news|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=744172&title=jitem-itirafcisi-pkk-ergenekonun-ikiz-orgutlenmesi
accessdate=2008-10-07
date=2008-09-30
title=JİTEM itirafçısı: PKK, Ergenekon'un ikiz örgütlenmesi
quote=PKK, Ergenekon'un ikiz örgütlenmesidir
work=Zaman
first=Murat
last=Gezer
language=Turkish]

These claims, however, have not been verified by any government source. The testimony of Sakık was never released to the press hence the testimony mentioned above is not an official one. PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, declared however that he had important information to share with the prosecution, according to "Vatan", and Ergenekon prosecutors have asked detail information about his contacts during his stay at the İmralı prison island.

Öcalan dismissed allegations made by intelligence officer Bülent Orakoğlu concerning himself, but he did say that a group inside the PKK, which he called the Zaza Group, had links with Ergenekon. He said that this group was led by Sait Çürükkaya and tried to seize control of the PKK. He added : "Particularly in the Diyarbakır-Muş-Bingöl triangle, they have staged intensive and bloody attacks." [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=154149 Senior general knew about lieutenants’ Ergenekon contacts] , "Today's Zaman", 24 September 2008 ]

Recently uncovered evidence suggests that the 1993 death of General Eşref Bitlis, and that of journalist Uğur Mumcu may be related to Ergenekon. [Bitlis is mentioned in the indictment's evidential addenda, see for example [http://www1.sabah.com.tr/ozel/pdf/indir.php?t=2008%2F08%2F01&f=323.pdf file 323] tr icon The authenticity of the evidence has been questioned.] Both Bitlis and Mumcu were investigating how Jalal Talabani, one of the Kurdish leaders of northern Iraq and, as of 2008, president of Iraq, came into possession of 100,000 firearms. [cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=149402
title=Ergenekon linked to Mumcu murder
work=Today's Zaman
accessdate=2008-08-14
date=2008-08-05]

Alleged Ergenekon-Hizb-ut Tahrir links

Lieutenant Mehmet Ali Çelebi, detained in the Ergenekon investigations, allegedly had links with the extreme Islamist group Hizb-ut Tahrir. [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&VersionID=14084&Date=24.09.2008&ArticleID=900034
accessdate=2008-09-24
title=Ergenekon’da Teğmen-radikal İslamcı ilişkisi
section=Türkiye
first=Serkan
last=Ocak
work=Radikal
date=2008-09-23
language=Turkish] Çelebi was allegedly the key which made possible the arrest of five Hizbt-ut-Tahrir members in September 2008. [http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=154149 Senior general knew about lieutenants’ Ergenekon contacts] , "Today's Zaman", 24 September 2008.]

uspects and detainees

86 people were indicted in July 2008, 48 of whom were detained: [cite news|url=http://www.cnnturk.com/TURKIYE/haber_detay.asp?PID=318&haberID=485012
accessdate=2008-09-24
title=Ergenekon davası başlıyor
work=CNN Türk
date=2008-07-25
language=Turkish]

Oktay Yıldırım (retired petty officer), Muzaffer Tekin (retired lieutenant), Mahmut Öztürk (retired petty officer), Fikret Emek (retired major), Gazi Güder (retired lieutenant), Zekeriya Öztürk (retired major), Mehmet Demirtaş (landlord of the warehouse for arms and ammunition), Muzaffer Şenocak, Ali Kutlu, Aydın Yüksek, Bekir Öztürk (President of the Kuvayı Milliye Derneği), Nusret Senem (Secretary General of the Workers' Party), İsmail Yıldız, Ergün Poyraz (author), Asuman Özdemir, Mete Yalazangil, Muhammet Yüce (retired sergeant), Kahraman Şahin, Erol Ölmez, Erkut Ersoy, Veli Küçük (retired general), Fikri Karadağ (retired colonel), Kemal Kerinçsiz (attorney-at-law), Sami Hoştan (Susurluk scandal convict), Hüseyin Görüm (President of the Kuvay-i Milliye Organisation), Oğuz Alpaslan Abdülkadir, Hüseyin Gazi Oğuz (President of the Branch of Kuvay-i Milliye Society), Sevgi Erenerol (Spokesperson of the Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate), Abdullah Arapoğlu, Hikmet Çiçek, Ümit Oğuztan, Vatan Bölükbaşı, Ümit Sayın (associate professor at Istanbul University), Emin Gürses (associate professor at Sakarya University), Orhan Tunç (writer and retired lecturer from Balıkesir University), Hayrettin Ertekin (jeweller), Vedat Yenerer (journalist), Muammer Karabulut (chairman of the Ayasofya Association and of the Father Christmas Peace Council; spokesman of the National Force Platform), Abdulmuttalip Tongar, Selim Akkurt, Doğu Perinçek (President of the Workers' Party), Ferit Ilsever (General Manager of Ulusal TV Channel), Adnan Akfırat (journalist), Serhan Bolluk (General Manager of Aydınlık newspaper), Hayati Özcan (Representative of the Ulusal TV Channel in Izmir), Behiç Gürcihan (owner of the Açık İstihbarat Web site), Rasim Görüm, Murat Çağlar, Barbaros Hayrettin Altıntaş, Sinan Aygün (President of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce), Atilla Uğur (retired major), Birol Başaran (President of the Kadıköy branch of the Atatürkçü Düşünce Society), Kemal Aydın, İbrahim Özcan, Durmuş Ali Özoğlu, Osman Gürbüz, Hurşit Tolon (retired full general), Şener Eruygur (retired full general; conditionally [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=154046
accessdate=2008-09-22
title=Ergenekon suspect Eruygur barred from international travel
date=2008-09-23
work=Today's Zaman] released after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=153916
accessdate=2008-09-21
title=Ergenekon suspect Eruygur released for health reasons
date=2008-09-22
work=Today's Zaman] ).

The eighth wave of detainments took place in September, [cite news|title=Tuncay Özkan gözaltına alındı|work=Milliyet|date=2008-09-23|accessdate=2008-09-23|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Yasam/SonDakika.aspx?aType=SonDakika&Kategori=turkiye&ArticleID=994643&Date=23.09.2008|language=Turkish] producing 11 detainees and 19 suspects, including Tuncay Özkan (journalist, former owner of Kanal Türk TV station, and leader of the anti-Islamist "How many are we?" movement), Duygu Dikmenoğlu (television anchor), Emcet Olcaytu (legal adviser), Tuncay Mollaveyisoğlu (Kanalturk employee), Evrim Baykara (NGO member), Adnan Bulut (television executive), Gürbüz Çapan (former mayor of İstanbul's Esenyurt district and shareholder of "Cumhuriyet"), Tanju Güvendiren (former member of the Military Supreme Court of Appeals, who served in the now defunct State Security Courts (DGM) and issued the order to arrest former Police Intelligence Department Chief Hanefi Avcı, who was investigating the Susurluk scandal), Mesut Özcan (cardiologist), Mahir Akkar (civil servant), Hasan Kılıçarslan (retired policeman), Serdar Saçan (police chief), Şafak Akbaş (forensicist), Yıldıray Başaran (forensicist), Mustafa Tavşan (forensicist).cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=154147
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=Seventeen more detentions in Ergenekon investigation
date=2008-09-24
work=Today's Zaman] [cite news|title=Ünlü polis şefi gözaltında|work=Milliyet|date=2008-09-23|accessdate=2008-09-23|language=Turkish|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Yasam/SonDakika.aspx?aType=SonDakika&ArticleID=994779] [cite news|url=http://taraf.com.tr/haber.asp?id=17563
accessdate=2008-09-24
title=Ergenekon Cumhuriyeti
date=2008-09-24
work=Taraf
language=Turkish
author=Bunyamin Demirkan, Tuncer Koseoglu, Bahar Kilicgedik, Soner Arikanoglu]

Kuddusi Okkır, detained for allegedly being the financial supplier of the Ergenekon network, died from cancer only a few days after he was released. According to his wife, Sabriye Okkır, he was in stable condition prior to his arrest on 23 June 2007. She claims that the authorities have done nothing to save her husband's life and filed a complaint to the Ministry of Justice. [cite news
url=http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/452521.asp
title=Okkır'ın eşinden suç duyurusu
work=NTV-MSNBC
date=2008-07-09
accessdate=2008-07-09
language=Turkish] Shortly after that the ministry opened an investigation to determine the accuracy of those claims. [cite news
url=http://msnbcntv.com.tr/news/452495.asp
title=Kuddusi Okkır'ın ölümüne soruşturma
work=NTV-MSNBC
date=2008-07-08
accessdate=2008-07-08
language=Turkish] [cite press release|url=http://www.basin.adalet.gov.tr/aciklama/2008aciklama/kuddisiokkir080708.html
accessdate=2008-09-12
title='Ergenekon Örgütü' Soruşturması Kapsamında Tutuklanan ve Tahliye Olduktan Sonra Hayatını Kaybeden Kuddusi Okkır'ın Tedavi Süreciyle İlgili Basın Açıklaması
publisher=Ministry of Justice
language=Turkish
date=2008-07-08]

Most convicts may face at least ten years in prison; the alleged ringleaders, Doğu Perinçek, Mehmet Fikri Karadağ, Veli Küçük, İlhan Selçuk and Muzaffer Tekin may be imprisoned for life, if convicted. [cite news|url=http://www.medyakronik.com/haber/944/
accessdate=2008-09-05
title=Suçlu bulunanlara ömür boyu hapis
date=2008-07-25
first=Ahmet
last=Şık
work=MedyaKronik
language=Turkish]

Response

Many people have criticized the manner in which the Ergenekon investigation is being conducted, citing in particular the length of the indictment, wiretapping in breach of privacy laws, and political motivations.cite news|url=http://jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2373385
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=FACT, FANTASY, AND FARCE AS MORE ARE DETAINED IN ERGENEKON PROBE
work=Eurasia Daily Monitor
publisher=Jamestown Foundation
first=Gareth
last=Jenkins
date=2008-09-22] [cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/08/200882481556979680.html
accessdate=2008-09-23
title=Uncovering Turkey's dark past
section=Focus
work=Al Jazeera English
date=2008-08-31
first=Jonathan
last=Gorvett] The media's coverage of the investigation has also been criticized—for releasing misinformation. [cite news|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=110149
accessdate=2008-09-04
title=Terror's new face?
work=Turkish Daily News
date=2008-07-18
quote=Istanbul's Chief Public Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin: 'unprecedented levels of media disinformation surrounding the investigation'
first=Burak
last=Bekdil] [cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/108330/ergenekon-coup-indictment-submitted-to-the-court
accessdate=2008-07-31
work=Bianet
date=2008-07-14
title='Ergenekon Coup' Indictment Submitted to The Court
author=NZ/TB]

Bekir Coskun, of the daily "Hürriyet", claims that the aim of the Ergenekon investigation is to create public fear and an organization capable of carrying out the alleged crimes is not very plausible. [cite news
url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/9390640.asp?yazarid=2&gid=61&sz=62738
title=Baston ile darbe...
first=Bekir
last=Coskun
authorlink=Bekir Coskun
work=Hürriyet
date=2008-07-09
accessdate=2008-07-09
language=Turkish] Several observers, including opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal, [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&ArticleID=887157
accessdate=2008-08-20
title=Ergenekon kapatma davasının misillemesi
work=Radikal
agency=anka
date=2008-08-20
language=Turkish] have pointed out that the closure case against the AKP and the Ergenekon probe coincided with one another. [cite news
url=http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/8423.htm
accessdate=2008-07-31
title=Operations, Like Those In Hitler Era
publisher=MEMRI Turkish Media Blog
date=2008-07-09
work=Cumhuriyet
quote=The AKP is trying to solidify its rule under the pretext of fighting for democracy.] However, the chronology surrounding the two events would seem to suggest otherwise as the AKP closure case was started on March 14, 2008, [cite news|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=110461
accessdate=2008-08-20
title=From landmark success to closure: AKP's journey
work=Turkish Daily News
date=2008-07-22
first=Izgi
last=Gungor] whereas the bombs in Ümraniye which exposed the network exploded nine months earlier, on June 13, 2007. [cite news|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=75840
accessdate=2008-08-20
title=Weapons cache linked to retired officers
work=Turkish Daily News
date=2008-06-15] Opposition DSP leader Zeki Sezer said that the AKP was building an “empire of fear”. [cite news|url=http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/8280.htm
accessdate=2008-07-31
title=Turkish Opposition Says “Ergenekon” Political Tool Of AKP Government; CHP Likens Detentions To Hitler and Stalin Era Operations
publisher=MEMRI Turkish Media Blog
work=TDN, Hurriyet, Milliyet
date=2008-07-02] Ankara University's Baskın Oran sees such reactions as indicative of the left's inability to accurately assess the situation, and says that the state is simply purging itself of undemocratic elements. [cite news|url=http://www.taraf.com.tr/yazar.asp?mid=1371
accessdate=2008-08-20
title=Baskın Oran: Solun önceliği darbeyle mücadeledir
work=Taraf
date=2008-07-28
first=Neşe
last=Düzel
language=Turkish] Former Minister of Culture and member of the Susurluk commission, Fikri Sağlar, said that Ergenekon is a continuation of Susurluk. He added that the network lacked popular support.

The editor-in-chief of the "Akşam" daily, Serdar Turgut, lamented that "Those who killed, those who were killed, and us, who tried to build a set of ideas to get our country out of chaos. It turns out that we lived a wasted life. It turns out we were all puppets." [cite news
url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=148653
accessdate=2008-08-14
title=Ergenekon terror machine targeted soul of Turkey
date=2008-07-28
work=Today's Zaman]

Many Turkish analysts have criticized the declared volume of this case, saying that this long an indictment is unprecedented and besides putting an unmanageable burden on the court it would also jeopardize the chances of reaching a just resolution of this case. Some analysts have reminded that the indictment in the Nuremberg Trials—“the mother of all cases”—was less than 70 pages long. [cite news
url=http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/8471.htm
title=Release Of “Ergenekon” Indictment Postponed Again; File To Be As Tall As 26-40 Storey Building
publisher=MEMRI Turkish Media Blog
accessdate=2008-07-31
date=2008-07-11
work=KanalD TV, Vatan]

Former US Ambassador to Turkey, Mark Parris said that one of the most important actors in the current crisis in Turkey are the unknown third forces behind the “Ergenekon” probe that may be acting on behalf of the prime minister, or that the prime minister may or may not know about. The alleged unknown forces, organized in the Police Intelligence department and has prosecutors, seem to be united against the front that want to topple Erdogan and are determined to stop them. [cite web|url=http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/8584.htm
accessdate=2008-07-31
title=Former U.S. Ambassador To Turkey: 'Decision On AKP Closure To Be Made On A Friday Night On the Third Week Of August'
publisher=MEMRI Turkish Media Blog
date=2008-07-31
work=Milliyet, Hurriyet] [cite web|url=http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1735/
accessdate=2008-07-31
title=The Crisis in Turkey
date=2008-07-15
work=Events
format=MP3
publisher=Center for Strategic and International Studies]

In August 2008, 300 intellectuals from Turkey declared their support for the investigation and called upon all civil and military institutions to deepen the investigation in order to reveal the rest of the people tied to Ergenekon. [cite news|url=http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/108989/300-intellectuals-make-a-declaration-to-support-ergenekon-investigation
accessdate=2008-08-17
title=300 Intellectuals Make A Declaration To Support Ergenekon Investigation
work=Bianet
date=2008-08-13]

Mentioning the Italian "Mani pulite" case as a precedent, an article in the "Turkish Daily News" said that the wiretaps may have been obtained in breach of privacy laws. [cite news|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=114336
accessdate=2008-09-04
title=Ergenekon indictment may trouble Turkey
work=Turkish Daily News
date=2008-09-03] Other sources have voiced similar concerns. [cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Siyaset/HaberDetay.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&Kategori=siyaset&ArticleID=984897&Date=31.08.2008&b=Hukukculardan%20itiraz
accessdate=2008-09-04
title=‘İddianamedeki dedikodu’ya hukukçulardan itiraz
section=Siyaset
work=Milliyet
date=2008-08-31
language=Turkish
author=Gokcer Tahincioglu, Esra Alus]

In September 2008, suspects Muzaffer Tekin, Ergün Poyraz, Kemal Kerinçsiz, Doğu Perinçek and Colonel Erdal Sarızeybek filed a criminal report against the prosecutors, citing “conducting a biased investigation, gross misconduct and exercises not fit to a prosecutor.” [cite news|url=http://bianet.org/english/kategori/english/109615/ergenekon-case-prosecutors-under-investigation
accessdate=2008-09-11
title=Ergenekon Case Prosecutors Under Investigation
work=Bianet
date=2008-09-09
author=TK/TB] [cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&ArticleID=897710&Date=08.09.2008&CategoryID=77
accessdate=2008-09-08
title=Ergenekon savcılarına kötü haber
date=2008-09-08
language=Turkish
work=Radikal] [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=152712
accessdate=2008-09-10
title=Inquiry against Öz reminiscent of Sarıkaya incident
date=2008-09-10
work=Today's Zaman
first=Betul
last=Akkaya] The Minister of Justice, Mehmet Ali Sahin, rejected the inquiry, [cite news|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/9883522.asp?gid=243&sz=31204
accessdate=2008-09-12
title=Turk gov't rejects inquiry for Ergenekon prosecutors
date=2008-09-12
work=Hürriyet] having found no wrongdoing. [cite press release|url=http://www.adalet.gov.tr/duyurular/2008/eylul/12092008baciklama.htm
accessdate=2008-09-12
date=2008-09-12
title=Kamuoyunda 'Ergenekon' Olarak Bilinen Soruşturmayı Yürüten Savcılarla İlgili Şikayetler Hakkında Basın Açıklaması
publisher=Ministry of Justice
quote=Özetle; söz konusu ihbar ve şikayetler üzerine 2802 sayılı Hâkimler ve Savcılar Kanunu çerçevesinde gerekli inceleme yaptırılmış olup, ilgili Cumhuriyet savcıları ve hâkim hakkında ileri sürülen iddiaların, 'Cumhuriyet savcısının delillerin toplanması, değerlendirilmesi ve suçun vasıflandırılması, hâkimin ise, yargı yetkisi ve takdir hakkı kapsamında kaldığı, adı geçen Cumhuriyet savcıları ile hâkimin bu hak ve yetkilerini herhangi bir şekilde kötüye kullandıklarına dair delil elde edilemediği' anlaşıldığından, ilgililer hakkında soruşturma izni verilmemiştir.
language=Turkish ] [cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=153032
accessdate=2008-09-12
title=No investigation into Ergenekon prosecutors, Justice Ministry announces
date=2008-09-13
work=Today's Zaman]

References

External links

* Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin's press release, announcing the investigation: cite news|url=http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=714025
accessdate=2008-09-04
title=Söz savcıda; işte açıklamanın tam metni
work=Zaman
date=2008-07-14
language=Turkish
* Full text of the indictment:
** [http://i.milliyet.com.tr/ergenekon/iddianame.aspx Online searchable printout] (HTML), "Milliyet"
** [http://haber.mynet.com/detail_news/?type=Actuel&id=O1217056589950&date=26Temmuz2008 Microsoft Word format] (8.6 MB ZIP archive)
** Acrobat format (390MB): cite news
url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/9516991.asp?gid=229&sz=39065
title=İddianame kabul edildi
work=Hürriyet
date=2008-07-25
accessdate=2008-07-25
language=Turkish
* Addenda to the indictment (~10GB) ( [http://www1.sabah.com.tr/ozel/pdf/indir.php?t=2008%2F08%2F01&f=1536F%DDHR%DDST.pdf contents] ):
** HTTP: cite news
url=http://www.atv.com.tr/haber,090e630326b44e2f9dc12e118d4348c9.html
title=Ergenekon ile ilgili her şey
work=Sabah
publisher=ATV Turkey
accessdate=2008-08-12
date=2008-08-03
language=Turkish
** RapidShare: [http://www.zaman.com.tr/import.do?ergenekon-delilleri Zaman] .
* [http://i.radikal.com.tr/644x385/2008/07/27/fft5_mf34372.Jpeg The network's schema, according to the indictment] , as published in cite news|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=Detay&ArticleID=890507&Date=29.07.2008&CategoryID=77
accessdate=2008-07-28
title=Ergenekon'un örgütlenme şeması
language=Turkish
work=Radikal
date=2008-07-29