Ergenekon trial’s fate at mercy of ’sociopath’

Tuncay Güney, deemed the "black box" of the controversial Ergenekon case, displays symptoms of a sociopath and of a personality disorder, according to psychiatrists and psychologists.

"Güney suffers from a personality disorder. He seems to be prepared about what he will say and how to behave. He seems to play a theatrical role and he plays his role well. He is aware that he is given utmost importance in the investigation and he pretends to be a hero," said specialist psychologist and social scientist Şükrü Alkan.

With bulky documents found in his home and accounts of Ergenekon in his testimony in 2001, Güney has become the linchpin in the Ergenekon case. A former Muslim, Güney now claims to be a Jew and appears to have undergone a turbulent and shadowy life. Born in 1972 in Turkey, Güney was exempted from military service for being gay. He was once arrested for selling a jeep with a fake certificate.

Every step well planned
Many identity cards were found during a search of his house. Güney said some belonged to those whom he had had sexual intercourse with and other cards he had found outside. Once a journalist, he appeared recently as a rabbi’s assistant in Toronto, Canada, having earlier been a fellow to Ergenekon’s major suspect Veli Küçük. Turkish audiences recently have seen more of him as he began to appear on state television to drop verbal bombs from another continent about Ergenekon. "What he said on TV seems paradoxical. He said he faced torture before his 2001 testimony and that his remarks therefore were not true. So, he now acts with a sense of revenge, which eventually results in narcissism. He knows what he says will be the investigation’s fate," Alkan said.

He plays different roles given to him by different powers and it is a grave mistake to put such a person at the core of this case, according to Alkan.

"Ergenekon has turned into a myth and Güney is playing a hero. And, all believe in myths," he said.Â

Journalist Saygı Öztürk, author of "Ergenekon with Documents," has been in close contact with Güney since February 2008 via e-mail and phone calls. Öztürk traced the case and knows Güney’s personality more than many people in Turkey. "He said in our first talk that he was tortured by the police. But we do not get such an impression from the images in the testimony. I am doubtful about this claim," Öztürk said.

"Güney is pretty wise and knows well what to say and when. His every step and every sentence are all well planned. He knows when to change and skip topics. He knows some things but his imagination is very wide. His skill for comment is highly developed," he said, adding that what angered him was the despising attitude displayed by the Turkish media against him.

Güney acts like an astrologist
Psychology Professor Acar Baltaş said Güney displayed symptoms of a sociopath, a term previously called "psychopath" in the past. Baltaş introduced the body-language concept to Turkey. "They can lie easily and do not have a sense of pity. They are satisfied with other’s dissatisfaction and show impulsive behavior. They, too, believe in their lies and if they feel a gap in what they are told and their logic they establish other bridges. They cannot fulfill their social roles and work in permanent jobs," Baltaş said. "He may be involved in some shadowy relations and some parts of what he said may seem close to the truth but this does not mean the whole is true. The astrological presumptions are made in this way. He pretends to be an astrologist."

According to Baltaş, Güney wants to be considered important and he has a personality disorder, which well manifested itself in the inconsistency in his jobs and religious identity.

"It is a one-sided testimony and he says what comes into his mind. He says his testimony is not true because of the torture. It is a consciously delivered remark in an effort to protect himself from possible future danger," he said, "Imagine that one in his late 20s knows many things that Turkey does not know. And one who is engrossed by such dark affairs is supposed to remain silent but paradoxically is eager to talk more."

For another psychologist Vicdan Yücel, Güney is a phenomenon and his manners point to a mental disorder.

"He talks too much and reveals conflicting remarks. He is like a teacher. He remembers what he wants to remember and forgets what he wants to forget. Basing the Ergenekon case on such a personality is a big mistake," she said.