Saturday, 14 November 2009
A criminal court in Istanbul released on Friday a naval colonel, suspect of an alleged plot against the government.
The court freed Naval Colonel Dursun Cicek, suspect of an alleged plot against the government, which surfaced with discovery of the "Action Plan against Reactionaries" document allegedly drafted by the Colonel, upon his lawyer's objection to his arrest.
An Istanbul criminal court arrested Cicek on Wednesday after his interrogation by the prosecutors of the Ergenekon case.
Turkish daily newspaper Taraf published in June a plot document allegedly drafted and signed by Col. Cicek at the General Staff Headquarters in Ankara, outlining what is publicly known as an alleged military plan to smear Justice and Development (AK) Party government and the Fethullah Gulen congregation.
The news story caused wide controversy and stirred heated debates in Turkey which lasted for weeks.
AK Party filed a criminal complaint regarding allegations and carried the issue to court.
Col. Cicek was also arrested back then by a civil court, upon the demand of the Ergenekon prosecutors, but was released shortly after as his lawyer appealed his arrest.
Forensic examinations suggested that the signature on the photocopy of the said document belonged to Col. Cicek.
The Military Prosecutors investigated into allegations and decided not to launch prosecution regarding allegations as they concluded that the document was not drafted at General Staff Headquarters, and such a document did not exist.
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug reacted strongly to allegations and severely criticized news reports over an alleged anti-government plot document as part of "a campaign to smear the armed forces."
"We believe that this piece of paper has been forged by certain circles to wear out and smear the Turkish Armed Forces," Gen. Basbug was quoted as saying.
Discussions in the media centered around whether or not a photocopy could be legally a valid piece of evidence.
Soon the debates would cool-off, and the alleged plot document be nearly forgotten, until recently when a letter sent by an anonymous military officer reached the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's office.
The letter which contained the original copy of the document with wet signature brought back the issue high on agenda.
Nearly a dozen of officers, soldiers, and civilian personnel were interrogated by the Ergenekon prosecutors since then.
