GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JAN 12

HURRIYET
--"STATE CALLED ME OUT THREE MONTHS AGO"
Ibrahim Sahin, former chief of the special forces who was detained under the Ergenekon probe, said that two high-ranking commanders called him out after State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said that a new formation would be established for Turkey's fight against terrorism some three months ago. "Metin Pasha from the General Staff and 7th Army Corp Commander Gen. Bekir Kalyoncu told me that I would be the undersecretary of the new formation and asked me to make preparations. They also told me to prepare a list of 300 people to work with," Sahin said during his interrogation.
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-- "DON'T SEARCH IN VAIN"
Korkut Eken, a former member of the National Intelligence Agency (MIT), said that the weapons which were unearthed in Ankara's Golbasi town under the Ergenekon probe were not the weapons brought from Israel to assassinate Abdullah Ocalan, head of the PKK terrorist organization.
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-- COSTNER IN TURKEY
Prominent actor and director Kevin Costner has come to Turkey to act in a commercial for the Turkish Airlines (THY). Academy Award-winning director said that he had not flown with the airline before.
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MILLIYET
-- 3.2 BLN TL OF AKP ASSISTANCE IN 5 YEARS
Interior Minister Besir Atalay said that Social Solidarity Fund of Turkey --which was established to ensure an equitable income distribution-- extended 2.9 billion TL of financial assistance to several provinces between 2003 and 2007 and the aid reached 3.2 billion TL when the first four months of 2008 was also taken into account. Atalay answered a question which was asked by Democratic Left Party (DSP) eight months ago. The fund has extended financial aid worth 191 million TL to Istanbul, 94.9 million TL to Ankara and 79.8 million TL to Izmir since 2003.
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-- NYT: ERDOGAN'S COMMENTS RAISED EYEBROWS
The New York Times said, "when Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey excoriated Israel last week, calling its military campaign in Gaza's dark stain on human history,' on one level it was not altogether surprising. After all, Turkish society is strongly opposed to the military operation, and Mr. Erdogan was reflecting its views." It said, "but as a leader who has been trying to raise his profile as an international mediator, it was hardly a stellar performance, especially considering his country is a member of NATO and the United Nations Security Council, not to mention an applicant to the European Union. His comments raised eyebrows among political analysts here and in Europe." The NYT quoted Erdogan as saying that Hamas officials had full confidence in Turkey. It said, "Cengiz Candar, a political analyst and a columnist for the Turkish newspaper Radikal, said he believed that Mr. Erdogan projected some of his party's experience as a democratically elected, embattled underdog onto Hamas. It is natural for Turkey to be upset by Israel's campaign, he said, but to bring that anger into diplomatic efforts reduces Turkey's ability to moderate.
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SABAH
-- NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW
PM Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey was ridding itself of its shackles while commenting on the Ergenekon probe. "We did not make concessions to gangs. I don't understand the opposition and the media. They talk about an empire of fear. Look what is recovered from under ground, it is obvious who is planning of setting up an empire of fear. Are you afraid of efforts aiming to bring dirty relations to light? Nobody is above the law," said Erdogan.
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-- HEAVY MEASURES FROM MILITARY
The General Staff took new decision as the Ergenekon probe reached some retired generals and officers on active duty:
1) No tolerance to unlawful acts.
2) Extra security for military documents.
3) Close tracking of military ammunition.

VATAN
-- WE SEE WHO IS ESTABLISHING AN EMPIRE OF FEAR
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan replied to Baykal who criticized the government for "establishing an empire of fear": "We see who is trying to set up an empire of fear when grenades are recovered from under the ground. Those who go after these are going to represent the empire of fear, and those who defend it are going to talk about peace: Is that it? Let justice proceed, allow the judges and prosecutors to freely do their jobs," said Erdogan.
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-- FULL GENERALS GO FREE
Fifteen of the 33 people who were taken into custody under the tenth wave of the Ergenekon probe were arrested, while 15 others were freed. The interrogation of Prof. Yalcin Kucuk and two other suspects continues. Following the release of retired Gen. Tuncer Kilinc, retired Gen. Kemal Yavuz and the former chairman of the Higher Board of Education Kemal Guruz were also set free by prosecutors on Sunday. Ret. Gen. Erdal Senel, whom prosecutors had demanded be arrested, was released by the court.
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CUMHURIYET
-- YAVUZ AND GURUZ RELEASED
Fifteen out of 33 people who were detained under the Ergenekon probe have been arrested and sent to prison. Retired generals Kemal Yavuz and Erdal Sener, retired colonel Huseyin Vural and former chairman of the Higher Education Board (YOK) Kemal Guruz were released.
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-- COSTNER'S GESTURE
Prominent actor and director Kevin Costner has come to Turkey to act in a commercial for the Turkish Airlines (THY). The Academy Award-winning director was wearing a cap bearing Ataturk's phrase "how happy the person is who says I am a Turk". He told reporters that he has never been in a country which is proud of somebody this much. "He must have been a very special person," he said. Â
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RADIKAL
-- RETIRED GENERALS AND GURUZ RELEASED
Fifteen of 33 suspects who were detained under the Ergenekon probe were arrested. Former secretary-general of the National Security Council and retired general Tuncer Kilinc, former chairman of Higher Education Board Kemal Guruz and retired general Kemal Yavuz were among those who were released under the probe.
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-- TOBB ASKS FOR CONFIDENCE
Rifat Hisarciklioglu, chairman of the Union of Turkish Chambers and  Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), said what Turkey needed was to speed up domestic credit mechanisms and prevent the domestic market from shrinking. Feeling of confidence must be ensured in the country again, Hisarciklioglu said in the 4th Kizilcahaman Investment Conference.

YENI SAFAK
-- HAT GESTURE
Famous movie star Kevin Costner who came to Turkey to act in an advertisement, appeared before the media wearing a hat reading "Happy is the one who says, 'I'm a Turk'." "I love Ataturk's remark. This the only gesture I could think of," said Costner
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-- GURUZ GOES FREE
Former Chairman of the Higher Board of Education Kemal Guruz and Retired Gen. Kemal Yavuz were set free after their interrogation at the prosecutor's office. Retired Gen. Erdal Senel will not be allowed to leave the country.