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Turkish court hearing against 196 soldiers for plot to topple govt
(KUNA) -- Turkish court Thursday began hearing a landmark case against 196 soldiers, among them senior commanders, charged over an alleged 2003 plot to topple the Islamist-rooted government.NTV reported that the trial started in a huge courtroom inside a prison complex in Silivri, a town near Istanbul, with a judge confirming the identities of the suspects. Among the most high-profile defendants present at the hearing were the alleged criminal mastermind of the coup plan, retired general Cetin Dogan, as well as the former chiefs of the navy and the air force, Ozden Ornek and Ibrahim Firtina. The 196 suspects, both serving and retired officers, including acting generals and admirals, risk 15 to 20 years in jail for attempting to overthrow the government or prevent it from carrying out its duties through the use of force and violence, the network reported. The soldiers allegedly plotted to carry out false-flag bomb attacks on two Istanbul mosques and down a Turkish jet over the Aegean to provoke tensions with Greece, hoping to discredit the AKP and garner public support for a coup. Posted by: Fred 2010-12-17 |
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