Ertugrul Ozkok: The final name of Turkey's 'media gang'
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Think of a "document" comprising of a single white sheet of paper divided to five columns.
In each column names are written.
The names of “businessmen” fill the first column.
Sevket Sabanci's name is written at the top of this column.
Husnu Ozyegin, a well-known banker, is listed immediately below him.
They are followed by the owner of Star daily, businessman Ethem Sancak, who is a well-known supporter of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
The names of some known mafia leaders are listed in the second column.
The third column is for "media people".
At the top of this column, Dinc Bilgin, the former owner of
Listed directly below him, Enis Berberoglu and Bekir Coskun, who are said by the author of this document, to be contributors to "
They are followed by Huseyin Gulerce, a Zaman daily columnist, who is very close to sect leader Fethullah Gulen.
The former editor-in-chief of both pro-government Yeni Safak and Bugun dailies, Selahattin Sadikoglu, is listed below them.
My name is next on the list.
* * *
At this point you are probably asking, "What is this list is for?"
It is "the organization plan of the Ergenekon gang".
They are the ravings of a madman.
It is impossible to understand what logic was used to create this document and connect any of these names.
It is written by an ignorant individual, who does not even know that both Enis Berberoglu and Bekir Coskun are columnists at Hurriyet daily, not
Any normal person would recognize this document as "absolute nonsense" and pass it over, wouldn’t they?
But there are those that do not think like you.
Later, the prosecutors in the Ergenekon case request the same document from the Prime Ministry and add it as evidence to the case file.
A friend of ours, whose father suffered through difficult years as a result of such reports issued by
To be fair, he does not clearly state any of the names listed.
In other words, according to this handwritten so-called “document” we are members of the "Ergenekon Gang".
But also, according to the notes of some retired military officers detained as part of the Ergenekon case, "we are untrustworthy, pro-government, enemies of the military".
The state’s intelligence sends this ridiculous so-called “document” to the Prime Ministry.
Yet even after they receive this report, they invite us on four separate occasions seeking assistance with some "solutions to our state's difficult problems".
Can you guess one of the topics that they sought our support on?
"To avoid riding the wave of indignation that would lead the call for the execution of Abdullah Ocalan (the leader of outlawed PKK organization)."
Namely, they say "If Ocalan is executed, this would be extremely bad."
Those supporting the report on this ridiculous so-called “document” claiming that "we are members of Ergenekon gang" and those who sought our support on issues, are one and the same.
* * *
I asked myself this question at the start of court proceedings in the Ergenekon case yesterday:
What is my sincere opinion regarding the Ergenekon case?
Hurriyet daily followed the previous Susurluk case very closely.
Even those who over looked the Susurluk incident are now following the Ergenekon case.
I must confess that we did not feel the same excitement during the Ergenekon investigation.
That is because too many questions remain unclear and unanswered in our minds.
In my opinion, the issue is as follows:
Yes, there are some very important relations in this case that should be made clear.
Such as the serious efforts being made by the mafia by distorting the "nationalist" view.
And those relations that may boldly and intentionally attempt to have an affect on all of our lives.
However, on the other hand, serious mistakes have been during in the recent past could easily allow us to label this case as a "witch hunt".
This investigation process had the perception of "McCarthyism" aiming to suppress opponents with arbitrary telephone tapping.
Either way, I do not think these mistakes have reduced the significance of the case.
Yes, these are my sincere opinions regarding the Ergenekon case.
And this is why I am not inspired to write about this case.