The investigation, dubbed a government hush-up operation by the
opposition, targets members of the gendarmerie who were ordered by
prosecutors in Adana and Hatay provinces to stop trucks operated by the
National Intelligence Organization (MİT) that were carrying heavy arms
and munitions to groups in Syria.
The prosecutor in the case claims that new evidence has emerged in the investigation of the suspects, who were allegedly involved in espionage and the leaking of confidential state documents during the interception of the Syria-bound trucks. It turns out the new evidence is “Şefkat Tepe,” a TV series on Samanyolu TV that is inspired by the law enforcement's battle with terrorist groups including al-Qaeda, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other groups.
During the deposition of the 34 suspects, who were detained on Sunday, prosecutor Fidan asked the gendarmes whether they watched the series. Hasan Tok, a lawyer for the gendarmes, told Today's Zaman that Fidan asked this and other questions after reading various episode scenarios of "Şefkat Tepe." Tok said this line of questioning is irrelevant, as the series has no relation to the case and the soldiers have no idea what Fidan intends by asking these questions.
According to details of the questioning in the Military Police Command in Beşiktaş, the gendarmes were also asked that whether they knew Emre Uslu, a columnist for the Today's Zaman and Taraf dailies.
Uslu has been writing on the Turkish government's alleged ties to radical groups in Syria and questioning whether political leaders were involved in aiding and abetting radical groups.
The detention order for the 34 military officers is thought to be part of an ongoing politically motivated witch hunt against the police investigators who uncovered the highly secretive Iran-backed Tahwid-Salam, which has ties to senior government officials.
There is no evidence linking the Tahwid-Salam investigation that began in 2011 and the interception of the MİT-run trucks. Yet prosecutor Fidan has accused suspects of being involved in the Tahwid-Salam investigation.
Fidan made headlines last year when he decided to discontinue the Tahwid-Salam probe, which revealed higher-ups in the Turkish government working closely with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards operatives. He also cleared President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son, Bilal, and his associates of major corruption charges.
During questioning, Fidan asked the gendarme officers why they had stopped the trucks, which he said were carrying humanitarian aid. That is not true, however, as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) revealed official documents last year indicating that the cargo was not humanitarian aid, but mortars, shells and heavy ammunition.
The prosecutors who investigated the trucks also confirmed that the cargo was armaments and was in violation of Turkish law, which did not allow MİT to transport arms inside Turkey.
After the incident, the government had to rush through an amendment to the intelligence law authorizing MİT to conduct such an operation and brought broader immunities to intelligence operatives.
A Turkish and an American journalist were also implicated in the revenge operation conducted via the politically motivated investigation. According to the Bugün daily, the summary of proceedings for the detention of 34 soldiers cites the article by David Ignatius -- titled “Turkey blows Israel's cover for Iranian spy ring” and published on Oct. 16, 2013 -- in which Ignatius claimed that then-Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan disclosed to Tehran the names of some 10 Iranians meeting with Mossad officers in Turkey.
The prosecutor claims Ignatius's article amounted to an order and the Turkish officers picked up on that and thus intercepted the arms-laden truck bound for Syria.
Bugün further reported that the summary of proceedings cites a lecture by prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen titled “Murders in name of religion,” published on Sept. 25, 2013, in which Gülen underlines the difference between Islam and terrorism.
In the meantime, a judge identified by the initials O.A. reacted to charges leveled against the suspects at adalet.org, a web exchange portal for judges and prosecutors in Turkey, saying there is not a shred of evidence in the investigation file against the suspects that included his elder brother who is identified by the initials R.A.
He said he has repeatedly reviewed the case file but failed to see any evidence incriminating his brother or any other suspects in the case. He noted that his brother was wounded while on duty fighting against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has been undergoing treatment. However, he was forcibly removed to İstanbul to face similar charges he had already faced in the Adana criminal court.
The prosecutor in the case claims that new evidence has emerged in the investigation of the suspects, who were allegedly involved in espionage and the leaking of confidential state documents during the interception of the Syria-bound trucks. It turns out the new evidence is “Şefkat Tepe,” a TV series on Samanyolu TV that is inspired by the law enforcement's battle with terrorist groups including al-Qaeda, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other groups.
During the deposition of the 34 suspects, who were detained on Sunday, prosecutor Fidan asked the gendarmes whether they watched the series. Hasan Tok, a lawyer for the gendarmes, told Today's Zaman that Fidan asked this and other questions after reading various episode scenarios of "Şefkat Tepe." Tok said this line of questioning is irrelevant, as the series has no relation to the case and the soldiers have no idea what Fidan intends by asking these questions.
According to details of the questioning in the Military Police Command in Beşiktaş, the gendarmes were also asked that whether they knew Emre Uslu, a columnist for the Today's Zaman and Taraf dailies.
Uslu has been writing on the Turkish government's alleged ties to radical groups in Syria and questioning whether political leaders were involved in aiding and abetting radical groups.
The detention order for the 34 military officers is thought to be part of an ongoing politically motivated witch hunt against the police investigators who uncovered the highly secretive Iran-backed Tahwid-Salam, which has ties to senior government officials.
There is no evidence linking the Tahwid-Salam investigation that began in 2011 and the interception of the MİT-run trucks. Yet prosecutor Fidan has accused suspects of being involved in the Tahwid-Salam investigation.
Fidan made headlines last year when he decided to discontinue the Tahwid-Salam probe, which revealed higher-ups in the Turkish government working closely with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards operatives. He also cleared President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son, Bilal, and his associates of major corruption charges.
During questioning, Fidan asked the gendarme officers why they had stopped the trucks, which he said were carrying humanitarian aid. That is not true, however, as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) revealed official documents last year indicating that the cargo was not humanitarian aid, but mortars, shells and heavy ammunition.
The prosecutors who investigated the trucks also confirmed that the cargo was armaments and was in violation of Turkish law, which did not allow MİT to transport arms inside Turkey.
After the incident, the government had to rush through an amendment to the intelligence law authorizing MİT to conduct such an operation and brought broader immunities to intelligence operatives.
A Turkish and an American journalist were also implicated in the revenge operation conducted via the politically motivated investigation. According to the Bugün daily, the summary of proceedings for the detention of 34 soldiers cites the article by David Ignatius -- titled “Turkey blows Israel's cover for Iranian spy ring” and published on Oct. 16, 2013 -- in which Ignatius claimed that then-Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan disclosed to Tehran the names of some 10 Iranians meeting with Mossad officers in Turkey.
The prosecutor claims Ignatius's article amounted to an order and the Turkish officers picked up on that and thus intercepted the arms-laden truck bound for Syria.
Bugün further reported that the summary of proceedings cites a lecture by prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen titled “Murders in name of religion,” published on Sept. 25, 2013, in which Gülen underlines the difference between Islam and terrorism.
In the meantime, a judge identified by the initials O.A. reacted to charges leveled against the suspects at adalet.org, a web exchange portal for judges and prosecutors in Turkey, saying there is not a shred of evidence in the investigation file against the suspects that included his elder brother who is identified by the initials R.A.
He said he has repeatedly reviewed the case file but failed to see any evidence incriminating his brother or any other suspects in the case. He noted that his brother was wounded while on duty fighting against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has been undergoing treatment. However, he was forcibly removed to İstanbul to face similar charges he had already faced in the Adana criminal court.
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