Ex-military chief, gendarmerie head in court to testify in coup probe

The two arrived at the 10th İstanbul High Criminal Court in the Silivri Prison Complex early on Friday. On Feb. 15, the court sent official notices to the relevant authorities, requesting Büyükanıt, Kalyoncu and Başbuğ prepare for the trial on March 2.

Former Chief of General Staff retired Gen. İlker Başbuğ will also testify during the same hearing on Friday afternoon. Başbuğ is currently jailed as a chief suspect in a separate case that concerns an alleged Internet campaign against the government.

The Sledgehammer plot mentions plans such as bombing the most-frequented mosques in İstanbul in an attempt to trigger chaos in the country to provide a pretext for military intervention. The plan led to nationwide outcry, with many calling for the authorities to punish those behind it, but some have suspicions that the plan was fabricated to defame the military.

The plan was drawn up in 2003 and discussed at a seminar held at the General Staff's Selimiye barracks in March of that year. The General Staff has denied that the Sledgehammer plot was the subject of a seminar, saying they have no record of such an incident and defended itself by claiming that the Sledgehammer plan was merely a war game. The General Staff also said the records for the Selimiye seminar, held on March 5-7, 2003, were destroyed after being kept on file in the cosmic room for four years.

More than 200 military officers are in custody -- accused of involvement in the Sledgehammer coup plot.