Seven suspects held in Turkish coup probe

SEVEN suspects were remanded in custody yesterday over an alleged coup plot against Turkey’s Islamist-rooted government in 2003, as part of a probe that has fanned tensions in the polarised country.

An Istanbul court ruled the suspects – two active-duty admirals, two retired admirals, a retired one-star general and two retired colonels – should be kept in jail pending trial, Anatolia news agency reported.

They were among about 50 military figures – including the former chiefs of the navy and air force, Ozden Ornek and Ibrahim Firtina – rounded up on Monday in the toughest action so far targeting the influential Turkish armed forces. Six others were released after questioning, Anatolia said.

Ornek and Firtina were expected to be questioned later, before the court decides whether to release them or keep them in custody. The purported coup plot, codenamed Operation Sledgehammer, was allegedly drawn up and discussed in 2003 within the Istanbul-based First Army, shortly after the AKP came to power.

It is unknown whether the suspects took any concrete action to implement the plan.

The plot allegedly involved plans to bomb mosques and escalate tensions with Greece in a bid to force the downing of a Turkish jet, thus discrediting the government and ultimately leading to its downfall.