WikiLeaks released a large number of classified US State Department documents online in 2010, which attracted widespread attention around the world. According to these documents, officials from the Turkish Security Directorate General visited the US Embassy in Ankara in 2008 and 2009 where they briefed officials on Ergenekon -- a shadowy crime network that has alleged links to the state and is suspected of plotting to topple the government -- and accused Baykal of involvement in bribery.
The Security Directorate General released an online statement on Tuesday refuting the claims, asserting that the Turkish police have not briefed the embassy of any country on the subject.
Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay, previously the interior minister, told reporters on Tuesday he has no knowledge of the briefings, adding that as the Security Directorate General statement pointed out, it is out of the question for briefings of that nature to take place.
However, Baykal insisted the briefings must have occurred. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday about the WikiLeaks revelations, Baykal said it is impossible that US Embassy officials in Ankara would have informed Washington about a briefing that did not take place.
“How can an independent country [even] brief a foreign mission about an ongoing internal investigation?” asked Baykal. Baykal said he would be filing a criminal complaint on Wednesday in response to the bribery allegations against him revealed in the cables.
“If the Security Directorate General had documents showing that a main opposition party leader was involved in bribery and it whispered this to officials at the US Embassy but did not take any action against the main opposition party leader … why wouldn’t the Security Directorate General reveal this document?” Baykal asked.
