The Ergenekon investigation began 19 months ago, after a weapons cache was found in the Istanbul suburb of Ümraniye.

General Staff silent on origin of weapons

This has been followed by four more finds. In total, 88 hand grenades, 15 kilograms of explosives, two shoulder-held missile launchers, dozens of guns and revolvers, hundreds of bullets, as well as mines and explosive devices, have been found.

It is assumed that these weapons were taken from army depots and were to be used for purposes other than the defense of the country. This threat to civilian safety has led to the media asking questions to the army.

However, the General Staff has remained largely silent. Its only recent statement related to the arrest of Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Dönmez who gave himself up on 12 January. The source of the weapons found on soldiers, either retired or still on active duty, has still not been explained.

Serial numbers mostly obliterated

The find of the weapon caches raises the question whether the weapons were on the army inventory, and whether any action has been taken over missing weapons. Minister of Defense Vecdi Gönül has said that the weapons found buried in a place in Ankara marked on a map by Dönmez had been identified as belonging to the Machine Chemistry Industry (MKE). He said that the serial numbers on the previous finds had been scratched off, but that they were intact in the latest find.

Asked whether the Turkish Armed Forces received all their weapons from MKE, Gönül said: “No. We also buy from outside. We have registration for all of them.”

Five arms caches

The following finds have been made:

Yenikent, Ankara:

Found according to a map from Dönmez, the following weapons were found on 12 January:

10 kilograms plastic explosives, 15 defense hand grenades, 10 offense hand grenades, 9 smoke bombs, 10 anti-tank mines, 15 bomb throwers, more than 800 G3 rifle bullets, 500 BKC bullets, many flares and Kalashnikoff ammunition.

Gölbaşı, Ankara

Following a plan found in the house of İbrahim Şahin, the police found the following on 9 January:

2 shoulder-held missile launchers, 114 9-millimetre cartridges, 1 anti-personnel bomb thrower, 1 anti-aircraft rocket, 11 MKEK smoke boxes, 2 MKEK smoke bomb launchers, 2 dry smoke boxes, 4 bombs creating loud explosions, 4 ABD gas bombs, 1 M4 A1 military illumination trap, 1 fireworks fuse, 2 MKE hand grenades, 210 centimetres of plastic-covered fuse wire, 8 metres of detonation fuse wire, 3 shotgun cartridges, 2 loaded shoulder-held missile launchers and 590 grams of detasheet explosives, 100 grams C3 plastic explosives, 130 grams C4.

It was announced that the serial numbers of the missile launchers and the hand grenades had been scratched off. Furthermore, nine Glock revolvers were found in Şahin’s home.

Sapanca, Western Turkey

On the same day, the summer house of Dönmez in Sapanca was searched. 22 hand grenades, 1 Egyptian machine gun, 2 Kalashnikoffs and 8 Kalashnikoff cartridge clips were found.

Eskişehir, Western Turkey

On 26 June 2007, the following weapons were found in the home of retired Major Fikret Emek’s mother:

11 kilos C3 plastic explosives, 1 rifle, 1 Kalashnikoff, 1 hunting rifle, M-16 ammunition, 10 MKE defense and offense hand grenades, 2 other hand grenades, gas bonbs, smoke bombs, 12 TNT explosive devices of 210 grams each, 6 half-kilo TNT moulds, 1 1.5-kilo TNT mould, 1 1-kilo demolition mould, ammunition.

Emek told the court that these weapons had been obtained during the struggle with the PKK.

Ümraniye, Istanbul

On 12 June 2007, the following weapons belonging to retired Major Oktay Yıldırım were found in a house in Ümraniye:

18 MKE hand grenades and fuses, 7 NATO standard hand grenades, 2 German-made hand grenades. (EÜ/AG)