In an initial statement last week, the General Staff downplayed the plot and claimed that it was part of a series of “scenarios and seminars” by the armed forces against possible external threats. According to the Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan, the military was to systematically stir up chaos in society through violent acts, among which were planned bomb attacks on the Fatih and Beyazıt mosques in İstanbul. The plot also sought to increase tension between Turkey and Greece. Three prosecutors have already been commissioned to investigate the plan, but the public expects the General Staff to be more involved in the investigation and determine who was behind the plan.Zaman’s Mustafa Ünal thinks the General Staff is confused about the “sledgehammer” plan, as its initial statement neither confirmed the existence of such a plan nor denied it, adding that it failed to be convincing as well. Having seen the insufficiency of the General Staff’s statement, some military officers will make additional statements regarding the plot in the coming days, he says. According to Ünal, the most striking question is whether some military officers might have exceeded the limit during the seminars. The answer of the military officers is “They should not do so, it’s not logical. We cannot know whether some military officers might have exceeded the limit during the seminars.” Ünal says even though the General Staff does not mention it openly, there is skepticism in the corridors of the General Staff about the Sledgehammer plot and its authenticity. In this regard, Ünal suggests that the General Staff should have launched an investigation into the plot on the first day it was exposed.
“The public took this plan seriously, the judiciary took action and three prosecutors began an investigation. Shouldn’t the General Staff take the plan seriously as well?” asks Ünal, noting that bringing the individuals behind the preparation of this plan to justice will help prevent the preparation of other such plans. “The General Staff is facing a tough and history-making test. I am sure it is aware of this,” says Ünal.
Bugün’s Erhan Başyurt also complains about the inconvincibility of the General Staff’s statement regarding the plot as he says: “Instead of describing the plot as a scenario against external threats, wouldn’t it have been better for the General Staff to make a thorough investigation and then speak? What do bombing mosques and massacring people have to do with war games?” He says even though this plan was allegedly the hypothetical situation of a seminar and its notes have been recycled, the notes of the supervisors and the officers who participated in this seminar must be around somewhere. “So why didn’t the General Staff at least ask those officers about this plot?” he asks.
