Turkish ex-army chief ordered held in jail for trial
Source: The Chicago Tribune / Reuters
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court ordered a former armed forces chief to be remanded in custody overnight pending trial charged with bidding to overthrow the government, an unprecedented move likely to exacerbate long-running tensions with the military.
General Ilker Basbug, who retired in 2010, is the highest-ranking officer to be caught up in the so-called Ergenekon case, a long-running crackdown on EU candidate Turkey's once all-powerful military and secularist establishment.
Basbug told the court on Thursday he rejected the allegations, according to broadcaster NTV, describing the Turkish Armed Forces as one of the most powerful in the world.
"We can say it is really tragicomic to accuse somebody who commands such an army of forming and directing a terrorist group," he was quoted as saying.
Read More: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-turkey-militarytre80421v-20120105,0,3564224.story