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Sledgehammer’s ‘useful’ journalists to sue if plot proven genuine
A military takeover plan dubbed Sledgehammer, recently made public by the Taraf daily, outlined arrangements to arrest 35 journalists immediately after staging a coup d’état, according to details included in the pages published so far.
According to the plan, which was allegedly prepared by Gen. Çetin Doğan, the junta group planned to arrest 35 journalists and “make use of” 137 others to garner public support for a coup. After the 35 journalists “to be arrested” filed a criminal complaint against the individuals behind the subversive plan yesterday, journalists listed as probable supporters by the coup planners also spoke out about the plan and announced that they would file a complaint as well if the plot is proven to be true.
“I do not know if such a plan really exists. That’s why I am filing a criminal complaint against Taraf at this point. This is serious slander. If the Taraf daily can prove that such a list really exists, the target of this criminal complaint will, of course, be those who drew up that plan. Since they published the list, I see them as an interlocutor. It is the right of those 35 [to-be-arrested] journalists to file a criminal complaint as well. Slinging mud at us [journalists] is a big shame for our profession because our credibility is our biggest capital,” said Haluk Şahin from the Radikal daily, who is listed by the junta as a potential cooperator.
Another journalist among those 137, Necati Doğru from the Vatan daily, also told Today’s Zaman that he is waiting for the real situation to be clarified. “If those who plotted a coup really put my name there, I will file a complaint against them. I have to. But there is also the possibility that this is a trap and that our names might have been added to the plan later by someone else before the list was published. I want the situation to become clearer,” Doğru said.
On the other hand, Flash TV channel’s news coordinator Hakan Aygün, whose name also included on the list of potential coup collaborators, said although he is not considering filing a criminal complaint, he would support his 136 colleagues. “First of all, I do not know for certain whether I am included on that list. At least, I accept that the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] does not see me as an enemy journalist. But I do not feel that they see me as a pro-TSK journalist, either. I respect both the TSK and the government. But, if this plan is true, there is a problem for those 35 journalists. There is nothing more normal than for them to pursue their rights by filing a criminal complaint. If they request my support, I would lend it to them with pleasure. But, it is not possible for me to file a complaint because we [the 137 journalists] are not the victims. The victims are those 35 journalists. I will always stand behind my colleagues,” Aygün added.
Another Vatan daily columnist included on the list, Leyla Umar, also announced that she would support the 35 journalists. “These are things I dislike. I have never had a link to such events. I am 81 years old. I have not had a link to such things, and will I have any from now on? It is something very ugly, to be included in such a list. If there is an injustice in question, I will, of course, support these [35] journalists,” Umar said.
Habertürk Editor-in-Chief Fatih Altaylı said he does not take the list seriously and will not file a criminal complaint.
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