Excerpts: Turkish plot against Islamist government April 10 2010

+++SOURCE: SAUDI GAZETTE 10 April '10:"Anti-govt plot"
SUBJECT: Turkish plot against Islamist goverment
FULL TEXT:ISTANBUL – A Turkish admiral and 16 other suspects went on trial
Friday(9 April) on charges of involvement in a plot to discredit and unseat
the Islamist-rooted government, Anatolia news agency reported.
It was one of several cases to emerge from a long-running probe into a
purported secularist network of both soldiers and civilians, which allegedly
plotted to foment political chaos and prompt a military coup against the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The judge rejected applications from defence lawyers that the case be
transferred to a military court, Anatolia said.
The suspects include Admiral Levent Gorgec, 14 navy officers and two retired
soldiers - all of whom have denied the charges.
They are accused of involvement in plans to stage false-flag attacks against
Istanbul’s tiny non-Muslim communities, notably Armenians – including
abductions, arsons and bombings – and create the impression that AKP
policies encouraged Islamist extremism and violence in Turkey. The charge
sheet says the suspects also planned to bomb a navy submarine, exhibited at
an Istanbul museum, during visiting hours.
The investigation that landed the soldiers in court was launched last year
when police dug up hand grenades, light anti-tank weapons and explosives
from a field in Istanbul, used as a training ground by the navy. – AFP
The prosecution is seeking life sentences for five defendants, up to 39
years for another, and up to 15 years for the other 11, including the
admiral.
Dozens of other suspects are already on trial as part of the investigation
into the so-called Ergenekon
network.
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Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA