Following simultaneous operations in 16 provinces yesterday (22 January) morning, 39 people were arrested. The operations were carried out by Ankara’s Terrorism Branch police officers in the early morning. They represent the “eleventh wave” of arrests since the Ergenekon investigation began.

Police, soldiers, others...

Among them were police and army officers who had relations with Ergenekon suspect İbrahim Şahin, the former head of the Police Special Operations Branch.

In addition, the buildings of the Turkish Metal Workers’ Trade Union (Türk Metal-İş) and the television channel Avrasya were searched in Ankara. The trade union’s chair person Mustafa Özbek was arrested, as well as four other people connected to the trade union.

It has emerged that Özbek has considerable private wealth in Northern Cyprus, amounting to 1,189,200 pounds. He owns buildings, land and a factory in Northern Cyprus. This fact ermerged after MP Ali Gulle had asked for an investigation. The wealth of the trade union is estimated at 2, 730,000 pounds.

Others arrested include journalist Ünal İnanç, researcher Erhan Göksel and Savaş Avcı, the head of a Turkmen association.

New arrests by province

Şırnak: 1 senior lieutenant and  4 Special Operations police officers

Elazığ: Head of Special Operations Branch

Antalya: Special Operations Branch: one police superior and one officer

Isparta: a ranking soldier

Kahramanmaraş: 3 Special Operations police officers

Hatay: One commissary and two more police officers

Iğdır: One Special Operations police officer

Hakkari: two people from Hakkari and Yüksekove district

Sivas: Assistant Prof. Dr. Feridun Hümüzlü from the University’s Dentistry Faculty, lecturer Ali Tatar, Internet Journalists’ Association head Oğuz Demirkaya, journalist Mehmet Bakır (owner of a website called ‘Sivasmit’), Harun İncesulu, Murat Bişkin, Soner Tozkoparan, Celal Akpolat, Hüseyin İncesulu. One of these was released after questioning.

Van: One Special Operations police officer

Siirt: One noncommissioned officer

İzmir: A lieutenant who is normally on duty in Şırnak

Two releases pending trial

Meanwhile, two of those arrested during the “tenth wave” on 7 January were released yesterday, having spent ten days in detention.

Prof. Dr. Yalçın Küçük, a researcher and writer, and Engin Aydın, the vice chair of the Independent Republic Party (BTP) were released yesterday.

The plea for release by İbrahim Şahin and others arrested on the same day was rejected by the court.

Perinçek spoke at trial

At the 40th hearing of the Ergenekon trial at the Istanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court, suspect Doğu Perinçek, the chair of the Workers’ Party (İşçi Partisi) presented his defence.

 According to Ntvmsnbc.com, Perinçek reacted to the recent suicide of former Gendarmerie Intelligence officer Colonel Kırca in his home, saying, “I take my part of the responsibility. I did not make enough of an effort. We could not overturn the government, shame on us.”

"Patriotism a crime"

He continued: “A nation whose heroes commit suicide cannot stay on its feet. An army whose heroes commit suicde loses its abilities. A judiciary whose heroes commit suicide becomes dominated by the executive of another state. At the moment, the Turkish judiciary is turning into a US executive. We are shocked. The former president of the Board of Higher Education (YÖK) says, ‘I am pro-American to my bones.’ What he is trying to say is, ‘I am innocent, I am pro-American, why did you arrest me?’”

Perinçek argued that the current ideological climate made patriotism a crime. He spoke about Tuncay Güney, a mysterious key figure in the case.

Güney, who currently lives in Canada, was questioned by the police as early as 2001. Güney’s identity is contested; some say he is a former spy of the Turkish Intelligence Service (MIT), others see him as a fugitive suspect, while still others believe his claims are nonsense.

The police officer questioning Güney in 2001 is now himself in prison. Recordings of Güney’s questioning and Güney’s archive were found after his arrest.

According to Perinçek, the indictment in the Ergenekon trial is only based on Güney's claims and other "nonsense". (BW/EÖ/TK/AG)