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| Europe |
| Turkish officer arrested in coup plot probe |
| 2009-07-02 |
| [Beirut Daily Star: Region] A senior military officer suspected of drafting an alleged plan to undermine Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was arrested late Tuesday on suspicion of links to a separate plot to topple the government, state-run Anatolia said. Anatolia said Cicek was arrested for his suspected links to a shadowy, right-wing organization known as "Ergenekon," which prosecutors say planned a campaign of assassinations and bombings to provoke a military coup. Several retired and serving officers have been arrested in the "Ergenekon" case. Taraf newspaper, which reported last month an alleged military plot to undermine the AKP by manipulating the media and whipping up nationalist angst, said Cicek drafted the document. The military has disowned the plan and said it would not prosecute Cicek as it was unclear if the document was fake. Earlier in the day, civilian leaders and top generals met amid tensions over the alleged army plots and moves in parliament to curb the army's powers. The meeting of the National Security Council (MGK), which lasted for nearly eight hours, took place amid angry protests by the once-omnipotent Turkish army that it has become the target of a "growing and organized" smear campaign. |
| Posted by:Fred |