The coup plan, which was uncovered by the Taraf daily on Wednesday, is believed to have been drafted in 2003, shortly after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power. The masterminds of the plan were retired Gen. Çetin Doğan, who was then commander of the 1st Army, retired Air Forces Commander Gen. İbrahim Fırtına and retired Gen. Ergin Saygun.
According to the plan, the military was to systematically foment chaos in society through violent acts. The group, which included artist Zeynep Tanbay and actress Lale Mansur, submitted their complaint to the İstanbul Prosecutor’s Office in Beşiktaş. Making a statement on behalf of the group, Mansur said they filed the criminal complaint representing the 70 Million Steps Against Coups coalition. “There is no longer any reason we should be surprised by such plans. But I really appreciate their courage. It is necessary to do so because they carried out successful coups, and they still continue to do so. But people are not the same people as those of the past. Many things that remained in the dark have been revealed. Everything is changing; it is necessary for them [coup planners] to understand this. As citizens, we are not happy about being treated as fools. This coup plan should absolutely be investigated,” said Mansur.
In the complaint, the group demanded cases be filed against Doğan, Fırtına and Saygun on charges of making plans to overthrow the government. In the meantime, Taraf daily reporter Mehmet Baransu visited the İstanbul Prosecutor’s Office yesterday in order to meet with İstanbul Deputy Chief Prosecutor Turan Çolakkadı. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Baransu said the prosecutor demanded the documents regarding the Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan, published by Taraf. Baransu said he gave Çolakkadı four CDs that included details about the Sledgehammer action plan. Çolakkadı later commissioned two specially authorized prosecutors to investigate the case.
