Turkish army acknowledges possible coup plan
ISTANBUL – The general staff of the Turkish army has admitted that one of the possible coup plans against the AKP government could be genuine. It concerns ‘Operation Cage’, an action plan against the AK government and the religious Gülen movement that was revealed in June last year. Several Turkish media report this after a declaration was placed on the army’s website.
Soon after daily newspaper Taraf revealed the plan, the Turkish armed forces started an investigation into ‘operation Cage’ but soon concluded that the coup plans were fictitious. The investigation focused on a signature of Colonel Dursun Cicek, which was supposedly found on documents related to the plans. “Fake”, said Cicek, and the army supported him by calling ‘Operation Cage’ just ‘a piece of paper’. Recently though, the forensic laboratory concluded it was indeed Cicek’s signature.
The army now states they have evidence that possibly confirms the existence of the plan. What that evidence is remains unclear.
The plot’s authenticity has put the credibility of those who strongly deny that authenticity under the spotlight. During a press conference at General Staff headquarters a week after the publication of the plot in last June, Başbuğ termed the alleged plan “a piece of paper” and urged a civilian court to find out who was behind the document outlining the plot, which he said was aimed at discrediting the image of the military. The chief of General Staff underlined several times that the alleged plot had been created by certain circles to undermine and besmirch the TSK. I think they are in a difficult position now..