On Wednesday, a Turkish daily printed a Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) plot to topple the government, allegedly thought up in 2003 by retired Gen. Çetin Doğan, the then-commander of the 1st Army. The plan aimed to foment chaos in society through bomb attacks in frequented mosques in İstanbul that would finally lead to a military takeover. The General Staff claimed in Thursday's statement that the plan was part of a series of “scenarios” by the armed forces, drafted against the threat of an external threat.
“The plan seminar in question is part of the General Staff's operations program for the years 2003-2006. The aim of the seminar is to develop operation plans and train TSK staff against an external threat to Turkey. The seminar states a scenario that mentions a period full of increasing tension in the country,” read the statement.
The statement also accused the media of polluting information through groundless allegations against the armed forces.
The General Staff, however, failed to explain why the suspected coup plan mentioned separate bomb attacks at the Beyazıt and Fatih mosques in İstanbul. According to the plan, two squads would place bombs in the mosques and detonate them shortly before and after the Friday prayers.
The statement also failed to explain why the coup document aimed to create tension between Turkish and Greek military aircraft, which would culminate in a Turkish jet crashing after a skirmish with Greek jets. According to the plan, Turkish military aircraft would provoke Greek pilots by entering Greek airspace. A dogfight between aircraft of the two countries would result in the crash of a Turkish jet. If they were unable to provoke Greece, a Turkish pilot would crash one of the Turkish jets, blaming it on the Greeks. Subsequently, the Turkish media would accuse the AK Party government of failing to ensure the security of the country.
One other unanswered question concerns two long lists of journalists who would cooperate with the armed forces after the implementation of the coup plan and others who would be arrested.
The coup plan lists 137 journalists who would be urged by the TSK to cooperate with the armed forces for the preparation of a chaotic atmosphere in the country for a military takeover. It also lists 36 others who would be put behind bars after the planned coup.
Independent İzmir deputy Recai Birgün said the statement by the General Staff came as an “admission” of an illegal military plan. “Everyone knows that deep states prepare such scenarios. But this acknowledgement does not mean that the scenarios are acceptable. The General Staff statement on the alleged coup plan has come as an “admission” of the plan. However, it is not a justifiable defense,” he noted.
According to Ahmet İyimaya, the chairman of the parliamentary justice commission, the apparent plot is “grave.” He does not, however, believe that it is part of a scenario prepared for the external security of the country. “Such plans are called scenarios, but when their content is examined, it is seen that they are not, at all. This is grave,” he noted.
Gen. Doğan first admits, then denies coup plan
Retired Gen. Çetin Doğan, who is believed to have masterminded the subversive plan -- titled the Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan -- told an Internet news portal, t24.com, on Thursday that the plan was prepared within the knowledge of army generals and in accordance with the Protocol on Cooperation for Security and Public Order (EMASYA).
The protocol allows military operations to be carried out for internal security matters under certain conditions without authorization from civilian authorities. It was implemented in 1997 and remains in effect.
Doğan also said the TSK is charged with protecting the republic against all sorts of internal and external threats.
The retired general, however, appeared on a news program on Star TV the same evening and contradicted his statements earlier in the day. He accused the Taraf daily of working to discredit the armed forces.
“Only insane people can prepare such a plan. And only insane people can publish it in their newspaper. It is very wrong to expect the TSK to be implicated in such plans,” he stated.
