Three high-ranking military commanders have been dismissed in Turkey
for the preparation of a coup in 2003 against the government of Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. For the first time in the history of Turkey, the
officials were dismissed by the order of the Ministry of Interior
Affairs and the National Security Council, RIA Novosti reports, citing
local media.
200 officers, including 20 generals are involved in the case. The
prosecution of Istanbul initiated the case after the publication of
material in 'Taraf' newspaper in January 2010. The paper said that the
Turkish army, which has organized three coups since 1960, was
preparing a plan of bombings in the mosques of Istanbul and the
introduction of an emergency regime.
The pro-government newspaper 'Star' reported on Wednesday that the
Division General of the Gendarmerie Halil Helvadzhioglu, Division
General of Ground Forces Gurbuz Kaya and the general Brigadier
Abdullah Gavremoglu were dismissed and deprived of their military
status.
The opposition has a counter view on the issue. The deputy head of the
main opposition party, the Republican People's Party of Turkey, Kemal
Anadol said that it is revenge.
The deputy head of the parliament fraction of the opposition party,
the National Movement Party, Oktay Vural said expressed surprise that
the government decided to dismiss the military commanders at this
moment.
The Turkish General Staff has not commented on the situation yet. The
military commanders filed appeals the same day to the High Military
Administrative Tribunal, NTV reports.
