Prosecutor to probe army's Internet warning against government
Hurriyet.com.tr
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A specially authorized prosecutor in Ankara launched an investigation into a 2007 statement published on the General Staff's webpage today.The prosecutor could summon Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt, Chief of General Staff at the time, and other ranking commanders of 2007 to testify in the investigation.
The investigation will try to determine the person who ordered the publication of the statement, as well as looking into the crisis that occurred during the presidential elections the same year.
The prosecutor will investigate whether now-defunct Motherland Party (ANAP) head Erkan Mumcu and former leader of True Path Party (DYP) Mehmet Ağar were threatened to abstain from voting in 2007's presidential elections.
On April 27, 2007, the General Staff posted a statement on its website, which was interpreted as military interference in the presidential elections and is often referred to as an “e-coup” or “e-memorandum.” The statement led to snap elections, from which the AKP emerged victorious.
'Secrecy' decision possible
It is possible for the court to issue a restriction on press coverage of the hearings as another court once did to a separate probe involving Büyükanıt.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Büyükanıt had met in the prime minister's offices in Dolmabahçe Palace after the e-memorandum in 2007; the details of the meeting remain unknown.
Businessman and former deputy Cavit Çağlar had accused Büyükanıt of secretly striking a deal with Erdoğan after the latter allegedly presented him with a list of Mrs. Büyükanıt's personal expenditures.
Büyükanıt filed a lawsuit against Çağlar, to which Çağlar responded by presenting the court a video recording allegedly found in retired Gen. Hurşit Tolon's apartment, who is under arrest as a suspect in the Ergenekon case.
The court ordered a full press restriction on the hearings after viewing the video recording. Tolon denied ever possessing the video recording.
