11 generals arrested in Feb 28 investigation

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

A suspect in the Feb 28, 1997 ‘post-modern’ coup probe is taken to court by the police. AA photo

Six active duty and five retired military personnel were imprisoned early Thursday as part of the latest wave of the investigation of the Feb. 28, 1997 “post-modern” coup.

The arrested military personnel include Lt. Gen. Tevfik Özkılıç and retired Maj. Gen. Çetin Saner, and the total number of arrested suspects in the case is now 36. Saner is known as the general who threatened the interior minister at the time of the coup, Meral Akşener. Those under arrest in connection with the probe also include retired former Gendarme Commander Gen. Fevzi Türkeri and Ret. Gen. Çevik Bir, who were arrested in previous waves.

After interrogating 17 suspects who were detained on May 8, prosecutors referred 15 of them to the court for arrest. The court ordered the arrest of 11 and the release of four, all of whom were military personnel.

Those arrested included Maj. Generals Berkay Turgut and Mehmet Faruk Alpaydın, Brig. Generals Celalettin Bacanlı, Mehmet Ali Yıldırım and Metin Keşap, retired Lieut. Generals Mustafa Bıyık and Hakkı Kılınç, and retired Maj. Generals Erdal Şenel and Çetin Dizdar. The retired officers were taken to Sincan Prison, while the active-duty officers are being held at Mamak Military Prison. The suspects were questioned by the Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday in the ongoing probe into the 1997 “post-modern” coup. The “post-modern” coup, or the “February 28 process,” refers to a military intervention that forced late ex-prime minister Necmettin Erbakan to resign. The process is named for the February 28, 1997 meeting of the National Security Council (MGK)