Dink first victim of Sledgehammer: Etyen Mahcupyan, Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafyan were meant to be next ones
15:26 – 17.07.10
According to a report that appeared in the Star daily on Friday, slain
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink was the first “elected target”
of instigators of the Sledgehammer plan, a suspected military plot to
overthrow the government.
The instigators planned to assassinate opponents of the planned coup
using professional gendarmes. Among other “targets” were Star
columnist Professor Mehmet Altan, Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal,
Professor Toktam?? Ate?, Agos Editor-in-Chief Etyen Mahcupyan,
sociologist Ali Bulaç, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, Armenian
Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan and former Vatican representative George
Marovic.
The subversive plan is mentioned in details in the civilian indictment
for the Sledgehammer document. Prosecutors overseeing the Sledgehammer
probe believe the junta behind the coup plan prepared eight separate
action plans to “get rid of” probable opponents of the expected coup
d’état.
Sledgehammer is a suspected coup plot devised in 2003 at a military
gathering. According to the plan, the military was to systematically
foment chaos in society through violent acts, among which were planned
bomb attacks on the Fatih and Beyazit mosques in Istanbul. The plot
allegedly sought to undermine the government and lay the groundwork
for a military takeover.
One of the plans, titled Tirpan (Scythe), would kill academics who
opposed the planned coup. Prominent Armenians would be murdered under
the Orak (Grass Hook) plan, right-wing figures under the Yumruk (Fist)
plan, left-wing figures under the Kürek (Spade) plan, liberals under
the Testere (Saw) plan, religious figures under the Dokum (Breakdown)
plan, civil society representatives under the Urgan (Rope) plan and
minority leaders would be killed under the Sakal (Beard) plan.
According to Sledgehammer prosecutors, the plans were devised by Lt.
Col. Hanifi Yildirim.
Dink’s brother, Orhan Dink, said his family will decide whether it
will become a co-plaintiff in the Sledgehammer case once its lawyers
examine the indictment. “We will become co-plaintiffs if we are
required to,” he noted.
Dink, once the editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot dead in 2007 by an
ultranationalist Turkish adolescent.There are 196 defendants in the
Sledgehammer case.
Star’s Altan said Turkey’s intellectuals face murderers who appear in
“state form.” “In normal countries governed by the rule of law,
citizens trust their state when they face such murderers. There are
people in Turkey who are born murderers. They want to kill the
country’s writers, caricaturists and academics. This is a sad example
to show why Turkey cannot solve its problems,” he said.
According to Mahcupyan, he is not at all surprised to see his name
included on a list of “to-be-assassinated” people.
“Manipulations usually depend on nationalism. For this, non-Muslims
are targeted. Non-Muslims are aware of this fact and have lived on a
knife’s edge for many years,” he said, adding that he does not believe
the coup plotters will reach their objectives. “If they could not
stage a coup in 2006 or 2007, they can no longer do it because they
have been exposed. When people are faced with provocation, they know
why they were done and for what reason. Therefore, coup plotters
cannot bring about an atmosphere of chaos,” he said.
Bulac said he is proud to be included in the “coup opponents” list and
recalled that he was also “targeted” in the Sept. 12, 1980 coup
d’état. “I spent many years in prison and was tortured. Therefore, I
am not in the least bit surprised to see my name on this list. But my
inclusion on such a list will not make me afraid nor force me to take
a step backwards. On the contrary, it shows me that we are right to
fight coup plotters. I am proud to see my name on this list. It would
be a source of shame for me if I saw my name side by side with coup
plotters,” he added.
Today’s Zaman
Tert.am
From: A. Papazian