5 Ergenekon Defendants Released - Inquiry About Feigned Notes

In the context of the 2^nd indictment of the case against the "Ergenekon terror organization", a clandestine ultra-nationalist organization charged with overthrowing the government, the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court decided to release defendants lieutenant Onur Özdemir, non-commissioned officers İlhan Bulayır and Murat Eke and police officers Kemalettin Balcı and Bülent Güngördü.

The 20^th hearing of the trial took place on Tuesday (24 November) in the Silivri Prison. The court announced the decision taking into account "the probability of changes in the scope of the file and the kind of crime". The case is adjourned to 14 December.

Interrogation of Balbay

Detained defendant Mustafa Balbay, Cumhuriyet daily Ankara correspondent, attended the hearing. He is tried under allegations of "attempting to change the constitutional order with armed force". The journalist had claimed in the previous hearing on 19 November that his notes had been rearranged in order to create new 'evidence'. The following dialogue developed between the journalist, the prosecutor and the judge:

Balbay: When the prosecutor retires he will be a screenwriter. He can be an author as well.

Prosecutor Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel: There is a note about the meeting between Erdal Şenel and Engin Aydın, saying, "AK Party [ruling Justice and Development Party] is on the rise. I reserved a place on the military truck'. Who appeared at that meeting? Does E.Ş. stand for Erdal Şener?

Balbay: I think the way this question is asked practically equals being a Kemalist with being a terrorist.

Pekgüzel: A little broad-minded meeting... In the Gazi officers' club... Şenel is the host, referring to the notes he said 'I am very pessimistic. Fethullah [Fethullah Gülen, leader of the correspondent religious movement] is in the saddle, we have been skidding down, CHP [Republican People's Party] does not spark any hopes'. Did Şener say what is noted down in the records? Who organized this little meeting? Whose initials are this?

Balbay: K.Ö. is the Ankara Governor Kemal Önal. Not sure if he is a governor or a terrorist. Yücel Y. is the former TRT General Manager.

Pekgüzel: 'We were going to finish this job by 28 February. We planned this as the 3 of us. Fevzi, someone else and me... Karadayı lulled us. The other one has surrendered'. Who said that?

Balbay: This is taken from the feigned notes.

Pekgüzel: Which part is rearranged?

Balbay: I cannot single out the assembled original parts. The meaning is distorted.

Court President Köksal Şengün: (when Balbay gets excited) You will have the difficult questions directed to yourself. You have to behave with common sense.

Balbay: You are right. It is better to keep calm but every question is like a 'fault offshoot', Your Honour.

Pekgüzel: In your notes it says 'What does fuse fire mean?' Would you explain that?

Balbay: This was metaphorical.

Pekgüzel: Would you please explain the issues of 'fortress' and 'central' mentioned in your news?

Balbay: There was a political quest going on at that time. Tuncay Özkan had sold Kanaltürk. I was angry about that and criticized it.

Pekgüzel: There are notes regarding Tuncay Özkan. Did you take them?

Judge Şengün: (when defendant Tuncay Özkan intervened) This is not a coffeehouse...

Pekgüzel: When did you get to know about the 'Moonlight' coup attempt?

Balbay: When it came up in the media, when the gossip and the discussions started.

Pekgüzel: Did you have your part in the coup plans?

Balbay: I certainly did not.

Şengün: (turning to the prosecutor) Is there any investigation launched into this coup plans?

Pekgüzel: The core of the trial consists of the 'Moonlight', 'Seasparkle' and 'Blond Girl' coup attempts. We are prosecuting the coup attempts here. The present defendants are here under charges of a coup attempt.

Balbay: In my notes it says Abi ('older brother') İlker and Abi Ahmet. I do not call İlker Başbuğ or Ahmet Necdet Sezer 'Abi'. If I had not deleted my notes from the 1990ies, you would see the frequent use of 'efe' ('elder brother'), 'hint horozu' (turkey rooster), 'baba' ('father') or 'teyze' ('aunt'). (EÖ/VK)