Ergenekon case

He is a frequent commentator on foreign affairs in the Russian media

He is the founder of the Anti-Orange Youth Front, a street movement, and the author of a weekly program on Spas, the Orthodox satellite channel.

He is the moving spirit behind the New University, a regular lecture series and the author of various books and articles based on these lectures and similar sources. In these capacities, he is the leading Russian spokesman for Traditionalism, and international movement originating in the esoteric milieux of the late-nineteenth century Paris.

He is the leader of the International Eurasia Movement. This not only represents Eurasianism in former Soviet countries such as the Ukraine and Kazakhstan, but has some significance in Western Europe, where it is an inspiring example for the extreme Right.

Dugin is almost entirely self-taught: he received no formal higher education, having been expelled from the Institute of Aviation in 1983, at the age of 22.

Dugin entered politics directly for the first time in 1993 as one of three founders of the National Bolshevik Party (NBP), along with the novelist Edvard Limonov and the musician Egor Letov. Today anti-Orange Youth Front is an echo of the NBP, which is best understood not as a political party but as a youth group. He came to the attention of a wider audience in 1997 with the publication of “Geopolitical Foundations: the geopolitical Future of Russia.”

Dugin became loyal to President Putin, and still retains good relations with him.

Dugin is now the leader of Eurasia Movement which he founded in 2001, and it is different than NBP, i.e., it is not a youth movement, it included such figures as Dr. Aleksandr Panarin, Mufti Talgat Taj-al-Din, Archbishop Andrian (the patriarch of the Old Believers), and Mikhail Leontiev.

 

What is his underlying ideology?
It is Traditionalism, which is the key to his neo-Eurasianism.  His traditionalism comes in two strands, one spiritual or esoteric, and one political. Both derive from Rene’ Guenon (1886-1951), a quasi-Masonic order… he takes Guenon as “undiscovered Marx.”

Another ideologue for Dugin is the Italian Political Traditionalist, Baron Julius Evola (1897-1974), who became the chief inspiration for activists who were at one point responsible for an average of 80 terrorist attacks a month. It should be noted, however, that despite the foregoing violent aspect, Evolian political Traditionalism remained spiritual and esoteric. In recent years, spiritual Traditionalism has spread from Catholic Europe and America to the Muslim world, especially Iran, Turkey, and Malaysia.

Dugin’s Traditionalism is entirely non-Russian origin. Although most followers of Guenon have become Sufis, Dugin chose Old Belief (a traditional esoteric and religious path, the foundations of which lie in the Traditionalism) over Sufism, because he was a Russian in Russia. Dugin’s political action may be inspired by Evola and Traditionalism, but that action takes place within Russia, and is facilitated by good relations with the Church.

Traditionalism is an anti-modernist philosophy, and so has more appeal in countries with problematic experiences of modernity than in countries with unproblematic experiences of modernity, or in countries with little experience with modernity. Soviet-Union’s modernity was definitely problematic, that is why Dugin’s ideas are enticing to many people in Russia today. (This part is important vis a vis Turkish problems with modernization).

Dugin became acquainted with Traditinalism in a circle of intellectuals which meets today at the New University.

Dugin’s identification of America as the chief representative of modernity, and so as Russia’s chief enemy, is a continuation of Cold War perceptions. Likewise, his Eurasian bloc is an essentially continuation of the Old Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, with the addition of Iran and Turkey.  His positive view of the Soviet Union, however, does not stem from his conviction that Soviet Union was good, but from that of “Western Democracy is worse.”

 

Important notes:
1)    His staunchly defense of anti-Americanism seems to resonate with a significant number of Russians, especially the youth… I realized this when I was watching a debate on You-tube (in Russian) between Dugin and Viktor Erofeev, a well-known Russian author. During this debate, people were able to vote for their favorite discussant through text-messages which could be seen on the TV screen. As a result he received about 50.000 votes, whereas Erofeev received about 30.000. In addition, the audience that was present at the debate applauded stronger when Dugin bashed America and American policies, and when he used a “patriotic” tone. Given the Russian imperial legacy which is said to have resurrected recently in Russia, it can be said that Dugin’s ideas will most likely appeal to many people in the years to come.
2)    In the Evrazia.org (Dugin’s website), I have read an interview given by Mehmet Perincek in which he was asked questions about the Ergenekon operation. Given his father’s involvement, Mehmet, not surprisingly, downplayed the operation and ridiculed it. He said that the real patriots are being tried, and eventually they will be exonerated. He also said that there is need for a revolution in Turkey based on the ideas of Ataturk.

The fact that this interview was conducted by Dugin’s followers can be important in regards to the alleged ties between Dogu Perincek and Aleksandr Dugin.

Let us analyze some techniques ETO members have used to provoke society in order to grasp the broader picture of ETO. Throughout the history, Armenians and Turks have lived together in peace and harmony. There were intermarriages between the societies. Armenians are known as a ‘Loyal Nation’ (Millet-i Sadika) in Ottoman history.  As everyone would know alleged ‘Armenian Genocide’ was a tool to be used by ‘Ergenekon’ to fuel the hatred to Armenian community living in Turkey. Therefore, ETO members needed a target to assassinate so it will not only ruin the image of Turkey in international arena but also will cause societal unrest in Turkey. Hrant Dink was one of the distinguished Armenian intellectual who was also the chief editor of the ‘Agos’ weekly newspaper. Dink has statements about the ‘Armenian Genocide’ that ‘there are two societies both are ill, they are Turks and Armenians. There is no any doctor who can cure this illness. Turks can cure the Armenians, and Armenians can cure the Turks. There is only way to solve the problem is through dialogue’ in one of his last interviews. Furthermore, on 7 October 2005, Hrant Dink was given a six-month suspended prison sentence by the Sisli Court of First Instance No. 2 in Istanbul for "denigrating Turkishness" in an article he wrote on Armenian identity. According to the prosecutor in the case, Hrant Dink had written his article with the intention of denigrating Turkish national identity which was not the case. Therefore, ETO members cannot find better target than Hrant Dink who has been suspended by Turkish Court and who is promoting dialogue on ‘Genocide’ case. Last thing ETO members would want is a dialogue which will result in peace on both the Turkish and Armenian sides. Since Hrant Dink has ‘denigrated Turkishness’ he would be an easy target to ultranationalists. On January 19, 2007, Hrant Dink was assassinated in Istanbul, by Ogün Samast, a 17-year old Turkish ultranationalist. Two days after the assassination murderer had been captured by police forces. At present, Hrant Dink case has been unified with the Ergenekon case as it was mentioned in Ergenekon 1st indictment. It was expected as Dink’s death would loosen the glue of a mosaic which has been tight for centuries and fueled the hatred in both Armenian and Turkish societies as it was planned by ETO. However, Turkish society and officials has protested this assassination and invited Armenian officials to the funeral of Hrant Dink. As expected, Armenian Diaspora and society used this murder as a proof to the alleged genocide. Moreover, Turkey was protested in Armenia as well as in some European countries.

ETO members are well known for being anti-USA, anti-NATO and anti-EU since they have not backed by them. Therefore, they needed to hinder Turkey from having good relations with the West and ultimately joining the EU. Hence, ETO needed a target which will ruin relations with both EU and USA. Italian Roman Catholic priest Andrea Santoro was an indispensable target for them, so, Catholic priest was murdered while kneeling in the prayer in Santa Maria Church, Trabzon, Turkey on February 5, 2006. Two days after the murder murderer was found and jailed. Oğuzhan Akdin was an ultra-nationalist, had only 16 years of age, a high school student who was accused of the killing. He was sentenced to 18 years and ten months in jail for "premeditated murder" by a court in Ankara. Killer has told to Turkish police that he has killed priest because of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy by Danish newspaper. Now let us have a close look to the consequences of the murder. The catholic world is one of the strongest and populous denominations of Christian faith, which has more than a billion Catholics in the world according to Vatican in 2007. Since EU and USA have huge Catholic populations, shooting should have damaged the relations with Turkey reciprocally.

Since Turkey mainly has population of Muslims which consists of more than 90 %, missioners were targeted. So it can result in conflict of Muslims and Christians, which will remind us the theory of ‘clash of civilizations’ by Samuel Huntington. ETO members have done their homework well as it is easy to observe the targeted ones. One of the Christian Publishing Company, Zirve Yayinevi, in Malatya was attacked by five youngsters and three workers were murdered, one was a German citizen. Zirve publishing company was publishing Bibles and other Christian literature. Again the murderers were ultranationalist youngsters whose have caused massacre of Christians on April 18, 2007. After the Malatya massacre there were many other attacks and murder attempts targeting Christians once again. A Catholic priest was stabbed in the stomach during a service at a Catholic church in Izmir. In Samsun, Diyarbakir and Antalya, other murder attempts were prevented by successful operations by the police.

ETO members have planned and acted so successfully that they have almost ended up in a coup. It is obvious from both first and second indictments of Ergenekon that this is not an organization of think tank or civic movement. However, it is an organization which planned and orchestrated the violence, killings, bombings and shootings. Surprisingly, there is a strong propaganda against the Ergenekon case in the media, which shows they are strong in this area as well. The case is presented as if it were just a fabrication by the government in order to silence its political opponents. Unfortunately, this is absolutely not the case.

To cause a chaos in society, minorities are the Achilles heel. With all murders as mentioned above, ETO members were trying to send a message to the members of both Christian communities in Turkey and around the world that they are not welcome in Turkey. On the other hand, Ergenekon wants to give the impression to Turkey and the outside world that as soon as an Islamic-oriented government came to power, massacres against Christians started which will help ETO members a reason to topple down the government while creating obstacles to Turkey's EU path. Tolerating or ignoring such a terrorist organization would mean suicidal of a society.

In late years there was undeniable improvement in relations between Muslim and Christian faiths around the globe. These incidents prove that ETO members are opposing to the closeness of Muslim and Christian communities, and probably have nightmares about the notion of an Islamo-Christian   civilization, a term uttered by Richard W. Bulliet. ETO members have sowed the seeds of hatred so there would be a chaos environment. As they tried to divide the society so it would be easy to rule. They have admired the Jacobinism and militant democracy which shows they are ‘democratic’ people even though it is militant. ETO has used any means that will help them to achieve their aim.

Operation Cage (Kafes) Action Plan
Called the “Cage Operation Action Plan,” the desired result from the intimidation of Turkey’s non-Muslims and the assassination of prominent ones, was that an increase in internal and external pressure on the Justice and Development Party (AKP) would ensue, leading to diminishing public support for the party.
The Cage action plan was signed by Lt. Col. Ercan Kireçtepe and was planned to be put into operation by a team of 41 members of the Naval Forces Command. It envisaged the assassination of prominent non-Muslim figures and the spreading of propaganda to increase internal and external pressure on the AK Party, leading to its demise in politics, according to the plan.

The action plan would be implemented to lend support to suspects arrested so far as part of the Ergenekon investigation, render ineffective so-called psychological warfare waged by the AK Party and its supporters (against the military), change the course of the agenda in Turkey, boost the morale of the junta within the Naval Forces Command, and win the appreciation and support of the public. The blame for each of the assassinations by the junta would be put on the AK Party.

1. 
   Operation Draft:
   

1. 
   General Information
   

1. 
   For the purpose of ensuring that the Special Operations Force Command extend support to those under arrest as part of Ergenekon Case, make the counter psychological warfare by AKP and its supporters ineffective, boost the morale of the organization and win public support, terrorizing propaganda will be staged targeting at the non-Moslems and such activities will be shown via black propaganda as if they were executed by AKP and other evil hubs supporting AKP.
   
2. 
   The psychological operation activities to be executed are indicated by Annex B Psychological Operation Campaign Control Form.
   

2. 
   The operation will be executed in four stages:
   

1. 
   Preparatory Stage:
   

1. 
   The names and addresses of the non-Muslim population will be determined
   
2. 
   The subscription lists of the newspapers, magazines, etc., owned by the non-Muslims will be obtained
   
3. 
   The students, parents and employees of the educational facilities owned by the non-Muslims will be identified.
   
4. 
   The community lists of the foundations and places of worship owned by the non-Muslims will be obtained.
   
5. 
   The religious festivals / major days of the non-Muslims as well as the locations where religious service and ceremonies are held by them.
   
6. 
   The cemeteries of the non-Muslims, which would fit action, will be identified.
   

2. 
   Terrorizing Stage:
   

1. 
   The lists of subscribers to AGOS Newspaper, which have been obtained, will be published on Internet, particularly the share sites and reactionary web sites.
   
2. 
   Calls of threat will be made and letters of threat sent to the subscribers to AGOS Newspaper.
   
3. 
   Slogans with threatening contents will be written on the intensive routes in Adalar region.
   
4. 
   The lists of subscribers will be duplicated and left at such locations where they are easily visible to the citizens living on Adalar.
   

3. 
   Stage of building public opinion:
   

1. 
   It will be ensured that the lists of subscribers are published by the press, thus receiving coverage.
   
2. 
   Columns will be commissioned about the issue.
   
3. 
   The issue will have coverage by the debate programs, with the nonsensical attitude of AKP government being raised.
   
4. 
   The media will again give coverage of the Incidents of September 6 – 7 and news articles on the Wealth Tax.
   
5. 
   Anti-AKP web sites will be increased so that they stage intensive activities.
   
6. 
   Web sites operating against the minorities will be supported in terms of their contents.
   
7. 
   By developing new websites under titles www.tehditaltindayiz.com (“we are under threat”) , www.agosasahipcikalim.com” (“let us protect Agos”), etc., in addition the present ones, broadcasting will be made in line with pre-determined themes and such sites will be effectively promoted.
   
8. 
   By establishing Web sites for which impression is created that they are funded by AKP and pro-government media, promotion of such sites shall be made as required and publications with religious contents will be mixed with messages showing the media of the minorities, particularly AGOS Newspaper, as targets.
   
9. 
   By showing AKP and reactionary groups as the culprit of the actions executed, “black propaganda” will be carried out in terms of origin.
   

4. 
   Stage of Action:
   

1. 
   Bombs will be exploded at various quarters in Adalar region.
   
2. 
   Assassination will be plotted against persons having a high profile as a fierce defender of minority rights.
   
3. 
   Sound bombs will be placed at the pre-determined spots such as the vicinity of AGOS Newspaper.
   
4. 
   By placing suspicious packages at many spots and informing the police of them, the security forces will be kept pre-occupied.
   
5. 
   Action involving bombs will be staged at the piers where boat journeys to Adalar are organized.
   
6. 
   Sensational actions will be executed at the cemeteries of the non-Moslems.
   
7. 
   One or several of the popular non-Muslim businessmen and artists will be kidnapped.
   
8. 
   Vehicles, houses and workplaces will be frequently will be set on fire in those regions having dense non-Muslim population.
   
9. 
   Similar actions will also be made in the provinces such as Istanbul and İzmir where the non-Muslims live densely.
   
10. 
    Actions of sabotage, kidnapping and assassination executed will be claimed on behalf of the reactionary organizations determined following coordination to be made with the special plan cell leaders.
    

A 4 page part of the document, which has been allegedly prepared by Senior Colonel Dursun Çiçek working in Support Section Directorate No 3 of the Operations Department in the Office of the Chief of General Staff, was published in the daily, Taraf, on June 12, 2009.

It is now uncovered that the Office of the Chief of Staff has prepared a new action plan titled, “combat reactionaryism”. The new plan belonging to the Office of the Chief of Staff, that was seized in the office of Lawyer Serdar Öztürk, a former officer now practicing as a lawyer, who was arrested as part of Ergenekon investigation, were taken down under minutes and are now expected to incorporated into the third indictment on Ergenekon. At the same time, Öztürk was acting as the attorney for Colonel Levent Göktaş, a member of the Special Forces, who was also arrested under Ergenekon.

The conclusive part of the plan covers “Black Propaganda Activities”. Here is that part:

To read the full version of the original The Action Plan To Combat (Islamic) Reactionaryism”, please find Appendix.3

Allegations
The investigation exposed alleged links between an armed attack on the Turkish Council of State in 2006 that left a judge dead,[114] a bombing of a secularist newspaper,[114] threats and attacks against people accused of being unpatriotic and the 1996 Susurluk incident, as well as links to the plans of some groups in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to overthrow the present government. According to the investigation, Ergenekon had a role in the murder of Hrant Dink, a prominent journalist of Armenian descent[13][115][116] Italian priest Father Andrea Santoro in February 2006 and the brutal murders of three Christians, one a German national, killed in the province of Malatya in April 2007.[117] Furthermore, files about JİTEM related the assassination of former JİTEM commander Cem Ersever, killed in November 1993, to Ergenekon.[117] A former JİTEM member, Abdülkadir Aygan, said that JİTEM is the military wing of Ergenekon.[118]

Documents seized in the investigation if authentic would show that the group planned a bomb attack in İstanbul's Taksim Square, triggering chaos that would be used as a pretext for military intervention. It is also alleged that those detained were involved in provocation and agitation during the Gazi incidents of 1995, when tens of people died in clashes with the police in demonstrations after an attack at an Alevi coffeehouse in the neighborhood.[119]

Recently uncovered evidence suggests that the 1993 death of General Eşref Bitlis, and that of journalist Uğur Mumcu may be related to Ergenekon.[120] Both Bitlis and Mumcu were investigating how Jalal Talabani, one of the Kurdish leaders of northern Iraq and, as of 2008, president of Iraq, came into possession of 100,000 firearms belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces.[121]

In March, a journal allegedly written by former Naval Forces Commander retired Adm. Özden Örnek referred to as the "coup diaries" was included in the second indictment prepared by the prosecution[122]. Örnek, former Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytaç Yalman and Retired Former Air Forces Commander Gen. İbrahim Fırtına, testified to the prosecutors in January, 2010.[123][124] These generals are mentioned in the diaries as having devised military coup plans titled “Ayışığı” (Moonlight) and “Sarıkız” (Blonde Girl) between the years 2001 and 2004 when they still served in the military.

According to the Turkish daily Today's Zaman, Ergenekon was involved in assassinations of Iranian reformist leader Dariush Forouhar and his wife Parvaneh Eskandari Forouhar.[125]