Safe-deposit boxes of suspects opened
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Soner Gürel - Hürriyet
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 14, 2009 00:002dk okuma
ANKARA - Prosecutors in charge of the controversial Ergenekon investigation have ordered the opening of safe-deposit boxes belonging to 143 suspects. Examination of their contents began Wednesday.
The prosecutors were given the list of 143 people from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, or BDDK. Officers with the Anti-Terrorism Bureau are opening up the safe-deposit boxes in accordance with prosecutors’ directives.
The Ergenekon case began after the June 12, 2007, discovery of 27 hand grenades in a shanty house belonging to a retired noncommissioned officer in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district. The resulting investigation has led to scores of detentions, including the arrests of dozens of retired and active military officers.
Safe-deposit boxes belonging to the first 10 people on the list were searched Tuesday and police are compiling a list of the boxes’ contents. Erhan Göksel, one of the suspects in the case and the owner of a research company, was among the first to have his safe-deposit boxes searched. One of his two boxes was empty, while the other contained some property deeds belonging to the Göksel family.
Coup probe
Prosecutors allege that Ergenekon is an illegal organization that aims to topple the government by spreading chaos that would instigate a coup. Incidents that have been connected with the case include the bombing of the daily Cumhuriyet office in Istanbul, the murder of journalist Hrant Dink and the top judge of the Council of State and alleged plans to assassinate other high-profile figures in Turkish politics.
The Ergenekon case began after the June 12, 2007, discovery of 27 hand grenades in a shanty house belonging to a retired noncommissioned officer in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district. The resulting investigation has led to scores of detentions, including the arrests of dozens of retired and active military officers.
Safe-deposit boxes belonging to the first 10 people on the list were searched Tuesday and police are compiling a list of the boxes’ contents. Erhan Göksel, one of the suspects in the case and the owner of a research company, was among the first to have his safe-deposit boxes searched. One of his two boxes was empty, while the other contained some property deeds belonging to the Göksel family.
Coup probe
Prosecutors allege that Ergenekon is an illegal organization that aims to topple the government by spreading chaos that would instigate a coup. Incidents that have been connected with the case include the bombing of the daily Cumhuriyet office in Istanbul, the murder of journalist Hrant Dink and the top judge of the Council of State and alleged plans to assassinate other high-profile figures in Turkish politics.