Turkey Arrests Former Military Chief

Turkey has arrested and imprisoned its former army chief, in one of the most dramatic moves in the decade-long struggle between the country's Islamist-rooted government and the once unassailable military.

Prosecutors allege that Ilker Basbug, who retired as chief of staff in August 2010, led a terrorist organisation and plotted to overthrow the government.

At the heart of the accusations are claims that Mr Basbug ordered the army to operate a series of websites issuing anti-government and anti-Islamist propaganda as part of a self-styled "Action Plan Against Reactionary Forces".

Mr Basbug dismissed the allegations as "tragicomic". In a court appearance before his overnight incarceration, he added: "Accusing a Chief of the General Staff of setting up an armed terrorist organisation is the greatest punishment that could be given to me."

His detention pending trial is perhaps the most striking indication to date of the decline of the army's power since the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister, came to power in 2002. Until now no former chief of the country's military had been arrested.

"In Turkey, the justice system always serves a political cause," said Mustafa Akyol, a writer who is broadly sympathetic to Mr Erdogan's goals but critical of what he says are excesses such as politicised trials. "It used tbasbugo serve the military establishment. Now it is turning to the other side, it is supporting the government."

In recent years about 60 serving generals and admirals have been arrested as suspects in various alleged plots, together with many other active and retired military officers, although none has yet been convicted.

Detainees in Turkey can be held for years before their cases are resolved. Two Turkish human rights organisations recently said that of more than 120,000 people held in Turkish prisons as of April last year, some 42 per cent were awaiting trial.

Mr Akyol noted allegations that the prosecution in other cases against military officers has relied on evidence that has been tampered with. However, he also argued that the military retained an ideology that led officers to regard religious conservatives and other groups as internal enemies.

The army, which has traditionally seen itself as the guardian of secular values, has mounted three coups since 1960 and effectively ejected a fourth government from office in 1997.

But Mr Erdogan has seen off a series of challenges to his rule, scoring three big election victories despite deep opposition from members of the country's traditional secular elite.

In what was seen as a mark of the prime minister's success in projecting civilian authority over the armed forces, Isik Kosaner, Mr Basbug's successor as chief of staff, resigned together with senior colleagues last July amid military anger over arrests of army personnel.

This week Turkish prosecutors also said they were issuing charges against the surviving leaders of the 1980 military coup, including Kenan Evren, a 94-year-old former president.

Prosecutions connected to more recent alleged plots have grown in size and scope. The detention of dozens of journalists has led the European Union and other bodies to express concerns about freedom of expression in Turkey.

By Daniel Dombey
Financial Times

Source: http://www.aina.org/news/20120106122357.htm

day light savings day light savings us geological survey us geological survey oklahoma fall back time change