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İstanbul High Criminal Court accepts Sledgehammer indictment
The indictment, which mentions 196 suspects, names retired Gen. Çetin Doğan, the former head of the 1st Army, as its prime suspect. Sledgehammer is a suspected coup plot created in 2003 at a military gathering. According to the plan, the military was to systematically foment chaos in society through violent acts, among which were planned bomb attacks on the Fatih and Beyazıt mosques in İstanbul. The plot allegedly sought to undermine the government to lay the groundwork for a military takeover. The indictment was prepared by prosecutors Mehmet Ergül, Süleyman Pehlivan, Ali Haydar and Murat Yönder.
The document names former Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytaç Yalman, former Air Forces Commander Gen. İbrahim Fırtına and former Naval Forces Commander Adm. Özden Örnek, all of whom retired in 2004, as suspects. Col. Dursun Çiçek, who is believed to have drafted another coup plot, will also be tried in the Sledgehammer case.
Among other Balyoz (Sledgehammer) suspects are generals and admirals on active duty, including Gen. Nejat Bek, Vice Adm. Mehmet Otuzbiroğlu, Maj. Gen. Ahmet Yavuz, Maj. Gen. Gürbüz Kaya and Rear Adm. Caner Bener. The list of suspects does not mention any civilians.
The suspects are accused of a failed attempt to destroy Parliament and overthrow the government. Such a charge calls for a jail sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The İstanbul court’s decision will greatly influence the Supreme Military Council’s (YAŞ) meeting, which is scheduled to be held in early August. The military officers whose names are mentioned in the document will not be eligible for a promotion at this year’s YAŞ meeting.
TSK official policy does not allow the promotion of a military officer if he is on trial. “A military staff member who is imprisoned or is still being tried cannot be promoted,” stipulates Article 65 of the Law on TSK Staff.
Among the military officers who are not expected to be promoted at the YAŞ meeting in August because they are standing trial, even though they were expecting a promotion, are Gen. Nejat Bek, Vice Adm. Mehmet Otuzbiroğlu, Maj. Gen. Ahmet Yavuz, Maj. Gen. Gürbüz Kaya, Maj. Gen. Salim Erkal Bektaş, Maj. Gen. Abdullah Dalay, Maj. Gen. Halil Helvacıoğlu, Brig. Gen. Kasım Erden and Rear Adm. Mustafa Karasabun.
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