Ergenekon Planning Coup in 2009

In addition to charges of plotting the assassinations of Orhan Pamuk and pro-Kurdish politicians Leyla Zana and Ahmet Türk, Today's Zaman reports that members in the Ergenekon group were also planning a coup to be staged in 2009. Recalling revelations of plans for a coup that emerged in 2004, the paper draws attention to the fact that any such undertaking in 2009 would necessarily involve participation by officials in the military.

Recalling that a newsweekly had uncovered generals' plans to overthrow the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government in 2004, most pessimists say there are still groups in the military who are pursuing coup d'état ambitions. "Since the civilians [currently in custody] cannot stage a coup, then who was going to?" asked the Taraf daily, urging the authorities to carry on with the investigation without fear. The prosecution is currently working on finding exactly those parts of the network that would hopefully link the current suspects to the bottom of the "iceberg."