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Military investigation focuses on leak rather than plot itself
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) on Monday announced that a new investigation was launched into the plan -- called the Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism -- by the General Staff Military Prosecutor’s Office in order to clear up questions. A previous investigation concluded in June that the plan was not produced at the General Staff headquarters.
Monday’s investigation was initiated after an unnamed military officer mailed the original copy of the plan to İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin. The officer also attached a letter to the package which read that the plan was prepared by Col. Dursun Çiçek upon an order by 1st Army Corps Commander Gen. Hasan Iğsız.
The military investigation is, however, aimed at finding out who sent the original plan to the prosecutor rather than revealing how and why the plan was prepared. The Military Prosecutor’s Office started to interrogate staff at Col. Çiçek’s Third Information Support Unit on Wednesday to discover who mailed the document to Engin. The office said the interrogation was part of an ongoing probe into the plot controversy.
Jurists are, however, doubtful that the military investigation will produce sound results.
“The TSK is investigating who leaked the original plot instead of trying to reveal the junta within itself. An investigation into such a leak means contributing to a crime. If you investigate who leaked the plot, then it means you were aware of its existence and acknowledge that such a plan really exists,” remarked Reşat Petek, a former public prosecutor.
According to Petek, it is necessary to clear the armed forces of pro-coup figures in order to protect Turkey against military interventions.
Ruling AK Party deputy Burhan Kuzu, chairperson of the parliamentary Constitutional Committee, lashed out at circles that focus on the fact that the document was leaked to the press. “This is a different issue. Prosecutors will take necessary action against it. What is important is the discovery of the original plot. It is of high importance for Turkish democracy to reveal and punish whoever prepared this plot. This would come as a step to fully get rid of the coup problem,” he said.
Radikal columnist Oral Çalışlar said what was more important than how the action plan was leaked was how and why it was prepared. “Some are discussing the timing of the discovery of the original copy of the document and others are discussing the political and military dimension of the issue. What needs to be discussed is, however, how it was prepared and how those responsible will be called to account. Do debates over the plot refute its existence? What is important is whether the plot exists or not,” he remarked.
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