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Propaganda websites used Defense Ministry IPs
The indictment provides detailed information on Internet sites allegedly set up by the General Staff Information Support Department to gain public support regarding a possible military coup and mislead public opinion in line with the alleged coup plotters' aims. The websites, which are provided by the TR.NET Middle East Software Services Inc. structure, were created through Defense Ministry IP addresses, the indictment notes. The content of the websites indicates that they were used as part of the Action Plan against Reactionaryism, allegedly drafted by Col. Dursun Çiçek, whose signature appears under it.
The prosecutors say that two websites, http://www.irtica.org/ and http://www.irtica.net/, overlap with the plans and activities mentioned in the action plan and intensively focus on topics that are frequently mentioned in the action plan . The indictment also states that the purpose behind the Internet sites was to win over public opinion by disseminating fabricated information.
Directive for TSK’s website plan not at Prime Ministry Oct. 3, 2009: The whistleblower who sent the original copy of the “Action Plan to Fight with Reactionaryism,” revealed in a letter that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had set up 42 websites as part of their propaganda campaign against “dangerous” civilian groups, which were categorized as “reactionary,” “separatist,” “pro-Justice and Development Party [AK Party]” and “anti-TSK.” The armed forces also monitored the activities of more than 400 Turkish and foreign language websites. The plan was devised at the General Staff’s Third Information Support Unit by a number of colonels and was coordinated by Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Hasan Iğsız, according to the officer. Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ was also reportedly informed about the plan. Oct. 6, 2009: Brig. Gen. Hıfzı Çubuklu, the General Staff’s legal adviser, announced that the websites had been established following directives from the Prime Ministry in 2000, when the government was led by a coalition under former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit. Oct. 6, 2009: The Prime Ministry announced that there was no such directive. The Prime Ministry then asked the armed forces for clarification about the timing of the directive. Oct. 7, 2009: The TSK responded to the Prime Ministry’s question in a written statement on its website. “The directive in question is dated 2000,” read the statement, adding that the websites were later deactivated. Oct. 8, 2009: It appeared that the websites had not been deactivated. Some were found to have been updated as recently as 2009. Oct. 23, 2009: In the General Staff’s weekly press conferences, Gen. Çubuklu reiterated that the directive had been given by the Ecevit government when asked why the directive could not be found at the Prime Ministry. |
The İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court, which accepted the indictment this week, announced that it would later assess the prosecutors’ demand to merge the case with Ergenekon. The plot in question was reportedly drafted by Çiçek and suggests that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) made systematic preparations to damage the image of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and the faith-based Gülen movement in the eyes of the public, to play down the Ergenekon investigation and to garner support for members of the military arrested as part of the Ergenekon inquest.
A letter from an anonymous whistleblower in the military had also spoken of the Internet sites, long before the indictment was accepted. These Internet sites were set up by a directive signed by former Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Hasan Iğsız.
The websites include news and stories that intended to alarm the public that religious fundamentalism -- or reactionaryism -- is taking hold. The action plan included a plot to have individuals such as Nurettin Veren, a former member of the Gülen community, make statements against the community saying their real purpose was to establish Shariah law in Turkey.
List of websites
The list of websites prosecutors include as having been established to mislead public opinion by coup-plotting officers are the following: http://www.irtica.org/, http://www.irtica.net/, http://www.hepimizturkuz.org/, http://www.pkkgercegi.com/, http://www.terorveguvenlik.info/, http://www.turkses.com/, http://www.genclik.info/, www. hepimizturkuz.net, http://www.greekmurderers.net/, http://www.terorizm.info/, http://www.turkeyturks.com/, http://www.turkatak.gen.tr/, http://www.turkses.com/, http://www.turkler.info/ and http://www.armenianready.com/.
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