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Next detainment wave starts on Ergenekon case in Turkey

07 January 2009 12:54 (UTC +04:00)

Ankara-APA. Thirty, including three ret. generals, detained in Turkey’s Ergenekon case
Turkish police have detained around 30 people in the latest investigation and detainment wave in the controversial Ergenekon case. The former General-Secretary of the National Security Council has also been detained, APA reports quoting Turkish news agencies.
30 people have been detained in the raids conducted simultaneously in six provinces around the country.
The case, which divided Turkey, was filed against more than 80 people on the charge of forming an illegal organization to provoke a series of events that would pave the way of a military coup. However many believe the government use the Ergenekon as an excuse to suppress the opposition.
Police conducted searches on four homes in Ankara, including those of retired Major General Erdal Senel and Ibrahim Sahin, the former head of the Special Operations Unit, which was formed in the fight against terror. The owners of the four properties were taken into custody after completion of the searches.
A known anti-government journalist and writer, Yalcin Kucuk, was detained under the operation and his house has been searched, reports say. Kucuk’s lawyer confirmed that his client has been detained and a search was conducted at his house under the so-called Ergenekon case.
"They seized all the cds, books and documents from my client’s home," the lawyer told reporters.
Such repressive moves against writers would harm the democracy in Turkey, he added.
Police also conducted a raid on the Istanbul Educational and Cultural Foundation (ISTEK), owned by Istanbul’s former mayor, Bedrettin Dalan. ISTEK owns a university and numerous private high schools. Searches were conducted in the foundation’s headquarters and Yeditepe University.
Turkish broadcaster NTV previously said Turkey’s former chief prosecutor, Sabih Kanadoglu, was also detained in Wednesdayâ€™s operation, but the report was later denied by Kanadoglu.