Ex-head of NATO's 2nd largest army accused of 'forming and directing a terrorist group'

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Source: MSNBC

(Ankara, Turkey) A former military chief was jailed Friday, accused of leading a terrorist organization and plotting to bring down Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, his lawyer said.

Gen. Ilker Basbug was arrested and placed in a prison near Istanbul overnight after seven hours of questioning by prosecutors investigating allegations that the military funded dozens of websites aimed at discrediting the Islamic-rooted government in 2009.

Basbug, who retired in 2010, is the highest-ranking officer to face trial in the so-called Ergenekon case, a long-running crackdown on EU candidate Turkey's once all-powerful military and secularist establishment. <snip>

Some of the suspects already charged in the case, including senior generals and admirals, have said they acted in a chain of command. Basbug led the military at the time.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45896740/ns/world_news-europe/#.TwbOmYHYCSo