More than 40 people, including current and former Army officers, were arrested Monday, February 22, in connection with an alleged plot to unseat the government.
"This morning our security forces began a detention process," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a news conference during an official visit to Spain, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"As of now, more than 40 people have been detained."
Among those detained are former air force chief Ibrahim Firtina, former navy chief Ozden Ornek and former First Army commander Ergin Saygun.
CNN-Turk said army chief Ilker Basbug postponed a three-day official trip to Egypt over the swoop.
The arrests were linked to investigation into an alleged 2003 plot to discredit the ruling Justice and Development Party government.
The plot, codenamed “Sledgehammer”, involved planting bombs in mosques and museums in Istanbul to stir chaos, according to documents obtained by Taraf newspaper.
It also included provoking Greek jets into shoot down a Turkish plane over the Aegean Sea in a bid to show the government as inept.
Turkey and neighbouring Greece have longstanding territorial disputes and came close to war in 1996 over an islet in the Aegean.
"I don't know what the result of this is, but after the security forces have finished this process the judiciary will make its assessment," said Erdogan.
Neither police or the military had any immediate comment.
Confrontation
The detentions are expected to bring the government and the powerful military into a new confrontation.
"The government is now embroiled in an open and bitter power struggle with the judiciary and the military, raising the risk of a head-on confrontation that would badly damage political stability," Wolfango Piccoli from the Eurasia political risk consultancy told Reuters.
For decades, the army has been Turkey's dominant political force, seen as the ultimate protector of the country's secular system.
Since 1960, the army has toppled four governments on claims of defending the country's secularism.
Monday’s arrests follow a clash between the AK government and the secularist judiciary over the arrest of a prosecutor who had investigated Islamic groups.
The prosecutor has been accused of links to an alleged far-right militant network, "Ergenekon".
More than 200 people, including military officers, lawyers and politicians, have been arrested in the case since it came to light two and a half years ago.
The Turkish premier said Monday that he will propose judicial and constitutional reforms and will hold a referendum if necessary.
"The judicial system should be objective and independent at the same time," he said.
"We are willing to carry out a constitutional reform and we're going to bring the issue to the parliament with or without support from the opposition.
"We'll open it to a public vote if we don't receive support. Not only society, but also NGOs demand such a reform."
"This morning our security forces began a detention process," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a news conference during an official visit to Spain, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"As of now, more than 40 people have been detained."
Among those detained are former air force chief Ibrahim Firtina, former navy chief Ozden Ornek and former First Army commander Ergin Saygun.
CNN-Turk said army chief Ilker Basbug postponed a three-day official trip to Egypt over the swoop.
The arrests were linked to investigation into an alleged 2003 plot to discredit the ruling Justice and Development Party government.
The plot, codenamed “Sledgehammer”, involved planting bombs in mosques and museums in Istanbul to stir chaos, according to documents obtained by Taraf newspaper.
It also included provoking Greek jets into shoot down a Turkish plane over the Aegean Sea in a bid to show the government as inept.
Turkey and neighbouring Greece have longstanding territorial disputes and came close to war in 1996 over an islet in the Aegean.
"I don't know what the result of this is, but after the security forces have finished this process the judiciary will make its assessment," said Erdogan.
Neither police or the military had any immediate comment.
Confrontation
The detentions are expected to bring the government and the powerful military into a new confrontation.
"The government is now embroiled in an open and bitter power struggle with the judiciary and the military, raising the risk of a head-on confrontation that would badly damage political stability," Wolfango Piccoli from the Eurasia political risk consultancy told Reuters.
For decades, the army has been Turkey's dominant political force, seen as the ultimate protector of the country's secular system.
Since 1960, the army has toppled four governments on claims of defending the country's secularism.
Monday’s arrests follow a clash between the AK government and the secularist judiciary over the arrest of a prosecutor who had investigated Islamic groups.
The prosecutor has been accused of links to an alleged far-right militant network, "Ergenekon".
More than 200 people, including military officers, lawyers and politicians, have been arrested in the case since it came to light two and a half years ago.
The Turkish premier said Monday that he will propose judicial and constitutional reforms and will hold a referendum if necessary.
"The judicial system should be objective and independent at the same time," he said.
"We are willing to carry out a constitutional reform and we're going to bring the issue to the parliament with or without support from the opposition.
"We'll open it to a public vote if we don't receive support. Not only society, but also NGOs demand such a reform."
