Turkish police launch second operation against February 28 coup

Turkish police are conducting raids on locations in six provinces today in a fresh operation that has been launched as part of a probe into Turkey's so-called "post-modern coup" of February 28, 1997, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

A specially-authorized prosecutor in Ankara issued search warrants for addresses in Ankara, Istanbul, İzmir, Adana, Muğla, Eskişehir and Afyonkarahisar.

Detention orders were issued for numerous retired and active-duty military officers. The then-general secretary of the General Staff, retired General Erol Özkasnak, was detained.

Gendarmerie started a search at Özkasnak's residence in the resort town of Bodrum in Muğla at around 8 a.m. Özkasnak was at his residence and invited police officers, who later arrived at the scene, into his house. The gendarmerie left Özkasnak's residence after police arrived and set up a perimeter around the dwelling. Journalists were not allowed near Özkasnak's home, reports said.

Eighteen suspects were arrested in last week's wave of detentions. Among the arrested was then-Deputy Chief of General Staff General Çevik Bir.