A politically motivated case? Yes, exactly. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has launched this investigation in order to silence the opposition in the country and it has been using this probe to repress distinguished military and other bureaucrats. Is it true? It is utterly wrong! Everyone knows how the Ergenekon investigation was launched. Also, it is not easy to deceive people abroad. As a piece of information known to the general public, the police seized bombs in a house in Ümraniye, acting upon reports coming to them. Then, several bombs were seized from a retired officer in Eskişehir. Meanwhile, the documents were found that evidenced that a big shadowy network has been organized to create chaos in the country. Since then, weapons and ammunitions are being found here and there buried in the ground. Drawings, assassination plots…In addition to the evidence collected to date, the court held that the Council of State attack should be merged with the Ergenekon case. What does that mean? Alparslan Aslan will be tried as a defendant at the Ergenekon case. This shows that there is concrete evidence of the connection between the man who attacked the Council of State, killing a judge and wounding others, and the Ergenekon network.
Never mind. Our subject matter was to promote the Ergenekon case in international circles and enlighten the international community on this issue, about which they know little. Senior executives of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) have recently said they will advocate this case in international circles. However, in the past, the CHP and its supporters were harshly critical of those who discussed the closure case (the one brought against the ruling AK Party) with foreign officials. Nowadays, some media groups are launching aggressive campaigns abroad. But in the past, they were furious about people answering questions asked by EU officials regarding the closure case. So it seems the roles have been swapped. Those who fail to persuade the general public inside the country rush outside the national borders. So be it. In this way, they will see and experience what Europe is, and they will sweat in the face of the questions directed to them. Nevertheless, who the main characters of this promotion campaign to be waged in EU countries will be is important at this point. Indeed, talking about an ongoing case has some risks.
There were interesting figures among the guests who “rocked” Europe by their defense of Ergenekon last week. For instance, Judges and Prosecutors Association (YARSAV) President Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu. Next to him is İstanbul Bar Association President Muammer Aydın. Other participants include Mehmet Cengiz, the lawyer of the Workers' Party (İP), and CHP Manisa deputy Şahin Mengü. The title of the speech they delivered to the empty hall, too, was interesting: the Ergenekon plot and the test of the judiciary.
First, we must note: The YARSAV president found himself in increased contradiction as he spoke. This is because he is not only the head of an association, but also a working prosecutor. Acting as a prosecutor and simultaneously meddling with an ongoing case damages not only his image but also that of YARSAV and the judicial system. How can one find a reasonable explanation for a prosecutor talking about a “plot” in Germany while an armed organization is standing trial? What about the other participant? How can the president of a bar association, which has 20,000 members, go abroad to wage a campaign to acquit Ergenekon? Whatever their intentions, this was how they were perceived. I have nothing to say about the İP lawyer and CHP deputy Mengü, as they formed a perfect band. Yet Germany was not convinced by what they talked about as the hall was empty. I guess they were utterly disappointed...
Advocates of Ergenekon have been traveling not only to Germany, but also to many other countries, including Turkic republics, to acquit Ergenekon. Those whose speech becomes hesitant when it comes to the matter of bombs the police seized are trying to underline that this case aims to try people for their ideas and thoughts and accuse it of being a plot. But who will believe in these fancies? No one. Indeed, there is a 5,000-page indictment full of concrete evidence that blows to pieces the arguments raised to save Ergenekon. This question must be answered: What will be done with the weapons buried in the ground?
