’Prosecutors asked for missing details’
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 28, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Ergenekon prosecutors last week met with former Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Özkök in order to take his deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe. Özkök says the deposition into the alleged organization lasted around eight hours during which he openly answered the prosecuters’ questions objectively
Former Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Özkök said he gave an eight-hour deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe and told the prosecutors what he knew about the coup allegations during his tenure.
Ergenekon prosecutor Zekeriya Öz last week made an appointment with Özkök in order to take his deposition in İzmir, daily Milliyet reported yesterday. Öz and Özkök met in strict confidentiality Saturday morning together with another Ergenekon prosecutor, Fikret Seçen. A special room in the İzmir judiciary building was allocated for Özkök’s use for his deposition. Özkök’s deposition answered Öz’s questions within the Ergenekon probe framework and lasted around eight hours.
Fulfilled his duty as a witness
Speaking to the Anatolia news agency yesterday, Özkök said he fulfilled his duty as a witness and emphasized the importance of justice.
Özkök had previously announced he would go to court to make a deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe either as witnesses or as a suspect if the court asked for it. "I had said earlier that I would go to court. A request came," he said. "I came together with Ergenekon prosecutors on Saturday in the İzmir judiciary building. They asked me questions about the ongoing probe and I said objectively what I know on the issue."
He said he wouldn’t elaborate on further details about the deposition’s content because the probe was still ongoing.
It was learned that Ergenekon prosecutors focused on the coup allegations, the basis of the Ergenekon indictment, which accuses the alleged Ergenekon gang of trying to topple the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, by instigating a coup after initially spreading chaos. The Ergenekon case started after the discovery of 27 hand grenades on June 12, 2007, in a shanty house in Istanbul's Ümraniye district that belonged to a retired noncommissioned officer and the resulting investigation has led to scores of detentions.
Providing information
Özkök provided information on the developments that occurred in the General Staff during his term of office between 2002 and 2006.
The second indictment of the Ergenekon investigation said Özkök responded negatively to the coup initiatives attempted by top military officials within the General Staff.
The newly found notes in arrested journalist Mustafa Balbay’s diaries included records of conversations with Özkök while he was Chief of General Staff. In the notes, top military officials at the time made negative statements against him.
Ergenekon prosecutor Zekeriya Öz last week made an appointment with Özkök in order to take his deposition in İzmir, daily Milliyet reported yesterday. Öz and Özkök met in strict confidentiality Saturday morning together with another Ergenekon prosecutor, Fikret Seçen. A special room in the İzmir judiciary building was allocated for Özkök’s use for his deposition. Özkök’s deposition answered Öz’s questions within the Ergenekon probe framework and lasted around eight hours.
Fulfilled his duty as a witness
Speaking to the Anatolia news agency yesterday, Özkök said he fulfilled his duty as a witness and emphasized the importance of justice.
Özkök had previously announced he would go to court to make a deposition as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe either as witnesses or as a suspect if the court asked for it. "I had said earlier that I would go to court. A request came," he said. "I came together with Ergenekon prosecutors on Saturday in the İzmir judiciary building. They asked me questions about the ongoing probe and I said objectively what I know on the issue."
He said he wouldn’t elaborate on further details about the deposition’s content because the probe was still ongoing.
It was learned that Ergenekon prosecutors focused on the coup allegations, the basis of the Ergenekon indictment, which accuses the alleged Ergenekon gang of trying to topple the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, by instigating a coup after initially spreading chaos. The Ergenekon case started after the discovery of 27 hand grenades on June 12, 2007, in a shanty house in Istanbul's Ümraniye district that belonged to a retired noncommissioned officer and the resulting investigation has led to scores of detentions.
Providing information
Özkök provided information on the developments that occurred in the General Staff during his term of office between 2002 and 2006.
The second indictment of the Ergenekon investigation said Özkök responded negatively to the coup initiatives attempted by top military officials within the General Staff.
The newly found notes in arrested journalist Mustafa Balbay’s diaries included records of conversations with Özkök while he was Chief of General Staff. In the notes, top military officials at the time made negative statements against him.