Allegations that the gang was behind a series of unsolved assassinations and was readying to perpetrate bloody attacks on several high-profile personalities are given a high priority because there is a belief that if the real masterminds of the shadowy acts of violence in Turkey are brought to justice, Turkey could be a more livable place. Radikal's İsmet Berkan says the most critical point in the Ergenekon investigation is the prosecutor's allegation that the gang is behind an attack against the Council of State that left a senior judge dead in 2006 and a series of grenade attacks against the staunchly secular Cumhuriyet daily in the same year. Citing the Ergenekon indictment, Berkan writes that the perpetrator of the Council of State attack, Alparslan Arslan, had been in contact with Ergenekon suspects and that there are numerous phone records between Arslan and other Ergenekon members. In addition, the records of a bank account belonging to Arslan's father show a YTL 100,000 deposit right after the attack, which Berkan points to as strong evidence suggesting a link between Ergenekon and the Council of State attack. Regarding the grenades that were hurled at the Cumhuriyet daily headquarters, he says one of the bombs bore the fingerprints of one of the Ergenekon suspects. "If you ask me, the possible link between these attacks and the Ergenekon gang is the most noteworthy aspect of the Ergenekon case. That's why the relevant parts in the indictment should be read more carefully," he suggests.
Hürriyet's Ferai Tınç believes only time will tell how the legal debates' political interference will unfold and how the indictment will be evaluated by the court. She adds that she is very curious about the extent to which this case will reveal the deep state formation in Turkey. "Is the Ergenekon operation a struggle between cliques and the mafia, or is it the first step toward washing away the mentality that remains from the Cold War period in the state apparatus?" she asks.
Star's Nasuhi Güngör writes that if the Ergenekon court process can proceed rapidly and on steady ground, it could lead to important results. However, he makes one thing clear and says that those who hope this case will reveal all the dirty links of a shadowy network within the state may be disappointed at the end of the case. "Such a thing is neither possible in Turkey nor in any other country in the world. Undoubtedly, the Ergenekon case is an important opportunity for Turkey to settle its accounts with its recent history. However, it is possible that this case has set its target too high. Turkey is entering a new period. Turkey is not an ordinary country, not just with regard to its treasures, but also with regard to its dark and shadowy sides. Failing to keep this in mind may cost us a lot," warns Güngör.
