‘LEFTIST MAGAZINE SERVED AS NETWORK’S RENDEZVOUS POINT’

Today’s Zaman
July 29 2008
Turkey

The magazine Turksolu (Turkish Left), known for its anti-European
Union and anti-American stance, was a meeting point of coup planners,
a convict has stated during an interrogation.

Semih Tufan Gulaltay, currently serving 14 years in prison for his
involvement in organized crime, stated in an interrogation by a
prosecutor that he met frequently with three Ergenekon suspects,
namely retired Capt. Muzaffer Tekin, Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate
spokesperson Sevgi Erenerol and ultranationalist lawyer Kemal
Kerincsiz, at the Taksim office of Turksolu magazine.

Ergenekon is a political crime gang that is believed to have been
preparing for an overthrow of the government. Scores of suspects
have so far been either detained or arrested as part of an ongoing
investigation into the gang.

"I frequently met with these three in meetings held by the
magazine. Kerincsiz regularly participated in Turksolu’s meetings,"
Gulaltay reportedly said.

Turksolu magazine first gained prominence with its ultranationalist
coverage and rallies held in 2003. Participants in these rallies
frequently called for a military coup, carrying banners that read
"Army to duty." It is also known for its opposition to reforms recently
made by the government to introduce broader cultural rights for Kurds
in the country. Banners that read "There is no Kurdish problem,
there is a Kurdish invasion" and "Turkish boys and girls, protect
your Turkishness" were also frequently observed at demonstrations
organized by the magazine.

The magazine also expressed satisfaction over the assassination
of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink by an ultranationalist
youth. "Dink was an enemy of Turks. His murder did not plunge us
into grief," read a statement released by the magazine soon after
the shooting.

Dink was shot dead in broad daylight in January 2007 in front of the
office of his bilingual newspaper Agos.