The 78^th hearing of the Second Ergenekon Trial was held by the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court on 2 September in Silivri (west of Istanbul). Retired Generals Hurşit Tolon and Şener Eruygur are among a total of 108 defendants of the case, 36 of them are detained.

The former President of the Turkish Metal Work Trade Union, Mustafa Özbek, was removed from the courtroom after he had raised his voice against the court board. Defendants Mustafa Balbay and Tuncay Özkan, both of them journalists, criticized the court for a "delay of justice".

The Ergenekon organization is a clandestine terrorist organization nested within the state and the military and charged with various crimes staged for the ultimate purpose of triggering a military coup.

Özbek: Fear Allah!

Detained defendants Prof. Fatih Hilmioğlu, former Rector of the Inönü Univeristy, Prof. Mehmet Haberal, former Rector of the Başkent Universtiy, Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Dönmez, retired Brigadier General Levent Ersöz, teacher Oğuzhan Sarıoğlu and Ersin Gönenci did not attend the hearing.

The first flak against the court came from Özbek who said, "I do not trust you. I want you to withdraw. What is your right to keep me here? Fear Allah!". Thereupon, court President Hasan Hüseyin Özese decided to remove Özbek from the courtroom.

Balbay: Not even our grandchildren will see the end of this case

Journalist Balbay complained about the lack of progress in the case. "The 'Detention Report' of the Bar Association shows that there is a crime of detention. You have almost become defendants yourself in front of the public opinion. Most recently, you requested the files and attachments related to the closure case of AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party]. Thus, another hundred folders were added to the file. Not even our children or grandchildren will be able to see the end of this trial. You are giving advanced punishment and dispense the law in instalments. If it will be decided to include another file upon the demand of a defendant for the defence, how is this case going to progress?" Balbay argued.

Defendant Özkan stated, "If you would withdrew from this case, would it not be tried? Why do you insist on this prosecution and hide the politics behind you back? Who appointed you?"

Place where ammunition was found was not investigated...

A writing sent to the court by Hamdi Selçuk, Deputy Chief of the Ankara Police Directorate, was also subject of the hearing. The writing was concerned with ammunition that was found buried in the Zir Valley. It was registered that no studies had been done on the question when the ammunition had been buried.

It was announced that the ammunition had been taken to the Istanbul Anti-Terror Branch Directorate under the supervision of a bomb expert for a biological and chemical investigation. (EÖ/VK)