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MULTIMEDIA
May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

Army chief adopts threatening language against coup row

Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ warned the media outlets not to try the army’s patience over news reports concerning a military plot to overthrow the AK Party government.
26 January 2010 / TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES, İSTANBUL
In the face of growing criticism of the General Staff due to an apparent military plan to violently overthrow the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ has addressed the media with “threatening” language and warned them not to try the army’s patience.

“How on earth could the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] plan to bomb mosques? This is unjust. The TSK has limits to its patience. I denounce these claims,” the military chief stated on Monday during a speech in Ankara.

Başbuğ was attending a ceremony organized in commemoration of the late Gen. Kazım Karabekir, a close companion of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk -- the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey.

Başbuğ’s remarks were a strong reaction to recent news reports over an alleged TSK coup plan called the Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan. According to the plan, the armed forces aimed to instigate chaos in society through bomb attacks on popular and historic mosques in İstanbul that would eventually lead to a military takeover. The plan was allegedly thought up in 2003 by retired Gen. Çetin Doğan, the then-commander of the 1st Army.

The army chief started his speech by quoting the late Gen. Karabekir, who said: “Reporting false news to the public would bring disaster. Search for the truth, learn it and then interpret it in the way you like.” Başbuğ underlined that Karabekir’s message retains its importance.

“We order our soldiers to attack [enemies], exclaiming ‘Allah, Allah!’ How on earth would the TSK bomb mosques? Such claims are unjust,” Başbuğ stated.

The chief of General Staff also noted that the armed forces would never appreciate a change of political power in the country through undemocratic means. He added that the Land Forces Command was examining the alleged coup documents.

The Sledgehammer plan also mentioned a TSK plan to create tension between the Turkish and Greek militaries which would culminate in a Turkish jet crashing after a skirmish with Greek jets. According to the plan, Turkish military aircraft would provoke Greek pilots by entering Greek airspace. A dogfight between aircraft of the two countries would result in the crash of a Turkish jet. If they were unable to provoke Greece, a Turkish pilot would crash one of the Turkish jets, blaming it on the Greeks. Subsequently, the Turkish media would accuse the AK Party government of failing to ensure the security of the country.

The General Staff had claimed last week that the Sledgehammer plan was part of a series of “scenarios” by the armed forces, drafted against the prospect of an external threat. “The plan seminar in question is part of the General Staff’s operations program for the years 2003-2006. The aim of the seminar is to develop operation plans and train TSK staff against an external threat to Turkey. The seminar lays out a scenario that mentions a period full of increasing tension in the country,” read the General Staff statement.

Başbuğ also added that the armed forces were in a fight against “whistleblowers.” “We need to be engaged in a serious fight against leakers of information. There are ongoing investigations against 61 members of the armed forces. Nine of them are addressed at judicial bodies. One of them has been concluded, and he has been sentenced to three years in jail. Ten other people are also currently behind bars,” he remarked.
 
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