Former chiefs say will attend court
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 19, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Former chiefs of staff, generals Hilmi Özkök and Yaşar Büyükanıt, say they will go to court to make a deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe either as witnesses or a suspect if they are asked to do so by the court
Former Chiefs of Staff Gen. Hilmi Özkök and Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt, whose names were at the heart of the discussions found in arrested journalist Mustafa Balbay’s diaries, said they would make a deposition in the Ergenekon probe if they were called by the court.
The newly-found notes on Balbay’s computer, which were leaked to a Web site, include records of conversations with the then General Chiefs of Staff Özkök and Büyükanıt. In the notes, negative statements were made by then top military officials against them. Özkök and Büyükanıt said they would go to court to make a deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe either as witnesses or as suspects if they are asked by the court, speaking to journalist Fikret Bila in an interview yesterday. Balbay was arrested last week as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation.
"I respect the law and act in line with what it says. If it would be useful in terms of the law, I would not say "no" if the court invited me either as a witness or as a suspect," Özkök said.
He also criticized the leak of the diaries to the Internet despite the confidentiality of the Ergenekon investigation and said it was not true to make an assessment on the issue over the diaries, which were leaked to the media and a Web site.
Saddened by allegations
Büyükanıt, meanwhile, said he was quite saddened about the allegations mentioned in the diaries and that he would appear before the court if asked and would tell the truth.
Referring to Balbay’s old article, "The Young Army Officers are Uneasy," Büyükanıt said: "When the article was published, I called Balbay and said that kind of news was wrong and bore dangerous implications. It harmed the Turkish Armed Forces. We likewise rejected the news in a press conference."
He denied the allegations that he described President Abdullah Gül’s English as blabber English. "I am very sad about this allegation. I never said anything like that. Why should I make such a disrespectful statement toward him as a person at this level?" he said.
Meanwhile Gen. Şener Eruygur’s wife is set to talk to prosecutors today about a conversation with military doctors. Erugur was detained as part of tne Ergenekon probe but released after suffereng a stroke.
The newly-found notes on Balbay’s computer, which were leaked to a Web site, include records of conversations with the then General Chiefs of Staff Özkök and Büyükanıt. In the notes, negative statements were made by then top military officials against them. Özkök and Büyükanıt said they would go to court to make a deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe either as witnesses or as suspects if they are asked by the court, speaking to journalist Fikret Bila in an interview yesterday. Balbay was arrested last week as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation.
"I respect the law and act in line with what it says. If it would be useful in terms of the law, I would not say "no" if the court invited me either as a witness or as a suspect," Özkök said.
He also criticized the leak of the diaries to the Internet despite the confidentiality of the Ergenekon investigation and said it was not true to make an assessment on the issue over the diaries, which were leaked to the media and a Web site.
Saddened by allegations
Büyükanıt, meanwhile, said he was quite saddened about the allegations mentioned in the diaries and that he would appear before the court if asked and would tell the truth.
Referring to Balbay’s old article, "The Young Army Officers are Uneasy," Büyükanıt said: "When the article was published, I called Balbay and said that kind of news was wrong and bore dangerous implications. It harmed the Turkish Armed Forces. We likewise rejected the news in a press conference."
He denied the allegations that he described President Abdullah Gül’s English as blabber English. "I am very sad about this allegation. I never said anything like that. Why should I make such a disrespectful statement toward him as a person at this level?" he said.
Meanwhile Gen. Şener Eruygur’s wife is set to talk to prosecutors today about a conversation with military doctors. Erugur was detained as part of tne Ergenekon probe but released after suffereng a stroke.