Turkish media say authorities have formally arrested two retired
Turkish generals in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the
Islamic-leaning government.
The state-run Anatolia news agency Sunday said a Turkish court ordered former generals Sener
Eruygur and Hursit Tolon arrested on charges of forming and leading a
terrorist organization. The news agency said the two are being held at
an Istanbul jail.
Lawyers for the generals denied what they called "false accusations" and said they would appeal the ruling.
The
generals were among 21 people detained Tuesday in a police
investigation against suspected members of a hard-line secularist
network known as Ergenekon.
Authorities say the suspects
planned to stage illegal protests across Turkey on July 7, carry
out assassinations and trigger battles with security forces.
Eleven
of the detainees have been released. But some of them, including the
Ankara representative of a secularist newspaper Cumhuriyet, have
been barred from leaving the country while the case continues.
Opposition
groups have called the arrests part of a government campaign to
intimidate critics. A ruling party official, Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat,
has said the government is acting according to its obligations.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
News
Turkey Formally Arrests Retired Generals in 'Coup' Probe
update