Turkish PM says alleged anti-gov't plot aims to destroy democracy

Erdogan's remarks came a day after a group of senior ruling party members filed a criminal complaint with state prosecutors sparked by a report by a Turkish daily claiming the military had drawn up a secret plan to discredit the ruling AKP government.Â

"The printed document includes an initiative that aims to destroy democracy," Erdogan told reporters in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

"Filing a criminal complaint, we launched the process with the prosecutors. We could not remain silent as the ruling party," he added.

Deputy parliamentary group leader of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Bekir Bozdag, and the party's general secretary, Idris Naim Sahin, submitted late Tuesday a petition requesting a probe into the allegation and legal action against anyone involved to the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office. 

"Illegal efforts to eliminate a political party that is protected by law and its government are unacceptable in a state of law and cannot be left without punishment," the petition said. Â

Turkish newspaper Taraf printed last week a document, allegedly drafted by a military colonel that contains efforts to fight fundamentalism, end the activities of religious movements, particularly the ruling AKP and the Gulen movement, which are accused of trying to undermine Turkey’s secular order and establish an Islamic state.

The military denied it has such a plan, vowing to purge any soldiers who fail to respect democracy and said it was investigating the authenticity of the document.

MEETING WITH ARMY CHIEF
The prime minister early on Tuesday called on military and civilian judicial authorities to investigate the alleged plot.

"If the allegations are false … and aim to cause provocation and confrontation between state institutions, that would be grave," Erdogan told his parliamentary group meeting. "If the allegations are true, that would be even more serious."

Erdogan's remarks came an hour after his extraordinary meeting with army chief Gen. Ilker Basbug to discuss the alleged military plan. No statement was made following the meeting that lasted more than an hour and was held at the Prime Ministry. The two meet regularly on Thursdays.

A Turkish prosecutor assigned in the country's controversial Ergenekon probe said Wednesday the prosecutors would take the deposition of a senior naval officer, Dursun Cicek, accused of drafting the four-page document in April, after completing an investigation into the authenticity of the signature on the report.

Earlier media reports had suggested prosecutors would take his deposition on Wednesday.