First time in Turkey’s history, a former chief of staff arrested in an ongoing case by a civilian court, as Turkey’s a former military chief Ilker Basbug has been arrested for allegedly attempting to topple Turkey’s Islamic-rooted AKP government with an Internet campaign.

Ankara / NationalTurk – Court arrests Turkey’s ex-army chief, Ilker Basbug on coup charges against Islamic oriented Justice and Development Party (AKP) who governs Turkey since 2003 with votes from ignorant and pious Turkish people. Turkey saw an ex-army chief testify and get arrested by court as suspect in-an continuing probe for first time. That makes Ilker Basbug, who retired in 2010, the most senior officer to be jailed in a series of investigations into alleged plots to bring down Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Turkey former Chief of Staff arrested over coup charges

An Istanbul prosecutor had directed former Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ to a court with a request for his arrest in an ongoing case. Başbuğ, facing charges of “gang leadership” and seeking to unseat the pious AKP government by force, told the court after seven hours of questioning by prosecutors that he rejected the charges and described them as “tragicomic”.

“To hear such an allegation hurts my pride as a general who has done his duty to the country and state with honour. Accusing a chief of general staff of forming a terrorist group is the biggest punishment I could be given,” he was quoted as saying.

Ex Army Chief arrested over coup attemt against AKP government

Ilker Başbuğ arrived at an Istanbul courthouse and testified as a suspect in an ongoing case for seven hours. İstanbul Specially Authorized Prosecutor Cihan Kansız and Deputy İstanbul Chief Prosecutor Fikret Seçen interrogated the former military chief and referred him to the 12th İstanbul High Criminal Court for arrest.

It was the first time in Turkey’s history that a former chief of staff is being testified by a prosecutor. In 2009 retired General Hilmi Özkök, also a former chief of the general staff, testified in the Ergenekon case but only as a witness, not a suspect.

Ergenekon case involves a series of ex military personnel allegedly an ultra nationalist group who attempt to topple the religous AKP government led by Tayyip Erdogan. The case divides Turkish people dangerously into two halves. One pro pne anti – Ergenekon. Although the AKP government got almost 50 % of the votes in 2011 elections, there is major dissent in Turkey against the Islamic rooted AKP government and mentality, who regard the Turkish government as a throne, where they live on ignorant populations primal needs, even urges.

Turkish people : ‘ Tayyip Erdogan led AKP sends ex Army members into prison for its own plot’

The ongoing Internet Memorandum case refers to an alleged document by the General Staff about setting up 42 Internet sites to distribute propaganda against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as well as Greeks and Armenians.

Suspects in the Internet Memorandum case, including Dursun Çiçek, a retired colonel, have said a number of websites that are being investigated as part of the probe were set up with Başbuğ’s knowledge. The “Internet Memorandum” case is just one of many strands of investigations into Ergenekon that began five years ago.

Ilker Başbuğ reportedly approved the document that ordered the foundation of the websites. Gen. Hüseyin Nusret Taşdeler; Gen. Hasan Iğsız; Gen. Mehmet Eröz; Gen. İsmail Hakkı Pekin; Gen. Mustafa Bakıcı; Adm. Alaettin Sevim; Col. Sedat Özüer and retired Col. Fuat Selvi are among the arrested suspects in the trial.

On Dec. 30, 2011, an Istanbul court filed a criminal complaint against Başbuğ, whose name was mentioned in the suspects’ pleas and other documents and ruled that a written notice be sent to the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office for the relevant procedures to be initiated.

Istanbul chief prosecutor Cihan Kansız then launched an investigation into allegations regarding Başbuğ in accordance with the court’s demand.

Despite choosing to conduct a probe into a botched air raid that killed 35 civilians last week in secret, the judiciary has openly “provided all the information available regarding İlker Başbuğ being called to testify, down to the questions he will be asked,” Tanrıkulu said.

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