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General, prosecutor go on trial in Turkey
Turkey has put a senior prosecutor and a general on trial over charges of seeking to overthrow the government of Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Head of Turkey's Third Army General Saldiray Berk and prosecutor Ilhan Cihaner went on trial in the city of Erzurum on Tuesday, Anatolia news agency reported.

The prosecution comes as part of the case of the so-called Ergenekon -- an alleged secret group which Turkish authorities say has been making efforts to foment political chaos in the country.

According to Turkish officials, the group has also been seeking to provoke a coup by the army against Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) government.

Berk -- a four star general whose brigade is based in the eastern city of Erzincan -- is the highest-ranking serving officer to go on trial as part of the three-year probe into the case.

Prosecutors argue that the general headed a local group linked to Ergenekon, adding that Cihaner -- Erzincan's chief prosecutor -- was also a key collaborator.

Both Turkish officials are accused of having had plans to discredit Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen -- a major AKP supporter.

Berk has so far refused to testify in the probe.
Posted by: Fred 2010-05-05
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=296059