Army chief pledges to cleanse TSK of anti-democratic staff

The two met at the Prime Ministry at 6:20 p.m. on Thursday, after celebrations held to mark the Turkish Republic's 86th anniversary. Their meeting lasted around one and a half hours.

A government official who declined to be named said the prime minister and the army chief discussed a military plot aimed at removing the governing party from power and discrediting a faith-based civilian group. Gen. Başbuğ assured Erdoğan that he would fight against TSK staff who have a finger in anti-democratic acts, sources told Today's Zaman. The army chief's assurance came in the wake of strong public reaction against the military plot, called the “Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism,” which is aimed at undermining the power of the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the faith-based Gülen movement. An unnamed military officer exposed in a letter he sent to an İstanbul prosecutor that the plot was the product of a number of TSK members.

In a move which could be interpreted as a concrete step of Başbuğ's pledge to fight against an anti-democratic formation within the armed forces, seven army members went to the Beşiktaş courthouse yesterday to testify to civilian prosecutors as part of the action plan. Prosecutors conducting a probe into a clandestine group known as Ergenekon had summoned the army members to testify about the plot last week. Prosecutors had also warned that police would use force to bring these members of the military to testify if they do not come voluntarily.

Also yesterday, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that a previously launched investigation into the plot controversy falls outside its jurisdiction and forwarded it to the İstanbul Prosecutor’s Office.

The Prime Ministry released a written statement after the Erdoğan-Başbuğ meeting in which it said: “Recent debates over the ‘Action Plan against Reactionaryism’ as well as security issues have been evaluated. An administrative and military legal process is ongoing into the action plan, with both probing issues related to their scope of authority. It is expected that this process will reveal the truth as soon as possible. What is needed of everyone in the ongoing period is to wait for the conclusion of the legal process and to refrain from any act and comment against institutions.”

The unnamed government official told Today’s Zaman that the meeting was not held in an atmosphere in which the prime minister called Gen. Başbuğ to account. The army chief, however, did not comment on whether he was informed about the action plan.

Instead, he asked the Military Prosecutor’s Office of the General Staff to launch a new investigation after the original copy of the action plan reached the İstanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office. Başbuğ also reiterated his pledge that he would not allow any individual who does not believe in democracy and the rule of law to remain within the armed forces.

A previous military investigation into the plot concluded in June that the document was not prepared at the General Staff headquarters.

Başbuğ said the military prosecutor’s office was unable to make a decision [on the authenticity of] the plot as what they had at hand at that time was a photocopied version of the document. He also pledged that the General Staff would not exert any effort to prevent the trial of army members who contributed to the preparation of the plot in a civilian tribunal.

The army chief asked the prime minister to allow the military prosecutor to conclude its investigation and assured that he would do his best to remove the responsible figures from office.

Erdoğan was expected to ask Gen. Başbuğ to relieve 1st Army Corps Commander Gen. Hasan Iğsız of duty as the order for the preparation of such an action plan came from the general. The prime minister, however, made no mention of such move during his meeting with the army chief.

The military officer stated in his letter that the order for the preparation of such an action plan came from Gen. Iğsız.

Iğsız was serving as deputy chief of general staff at the time. “In accordance with a directive by [then-Deputy Chief of General Staff] Gen. Hasan Iğsız, the necessary work was initiated by Lt. Gen. Mehmet Eröz and Maj. Gen. Mustafa Bakıcı, and the action plan was prepared by Col. Dursun Çiçek,” the letter read.

The government official also stated that Gen. Başbuğ had complained that press reports suggesting the TSK was protecting Col. Çiçek were aimed at exhausting the armed forces.

Erdoğan asks for civilian trial for plot figures

The prime minister, in response, said he would wait for the conclusion of an ongoing military investigation into the plot, adding the names responsible for the preparation of the action plan would be tried in a civilian court. Başbuğ said the TSK would not interfere in a decision where they would be tried if plot figures were discovered.

In accordance with a law passed in early July, civilian courts are allowed to try members of the armed forces who are accused of crimes, including threats to national security, constitutional violations, organizing armed groups and attempts to topple the government. Military courts are authorized to try members of the armed forces during wartime and periods of martial law.

According to the government official, the AK Party government does not plan to call on Gen. Başbuğ to leave his position at the moment.

After Thursday’s meeting with the prime minister, the General Staff decided to cancel a weekly press briefing, which was slated for yesterday. The briefings serve as a venue at which the General Staff informs the press about its fight against terrorism and replies to questions by press members about developments in the country.