ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 7th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET
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WHAT AN INTERROGATION
Mustafa Balbay, a writer and the representative of Cumhuriyet newspaper in Ankara, told reporters about the four days of his interrogation within the scope of the operation Ergenekon. Balbay said that he regarded the questions asked as "strange." Balbay said police even asked about the meal he had with the U.S. ambassador. "I had told about this meal to Ibrahim Yildiz (editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet), and he told about Ilhan Selcuk (columnist of Cumhuriyet) that 'there was a change of atmosphere in the United States.' The prosecutor asked about this."

AK PARTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN FRIENDLY TO US, IF IT'S CLOSED, IT WILL BE A BACKWARD STEP
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the closure of the Justice & Development (AK) Party would be a backward step in Turkish-Iraqi relations. Speaking to Greek Elefterotipia newspaper, Talabani said that Iraq had developed a strategy within friendly relations with President Abdullah Gul and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Iraqi president commented that a new party would be opened even if the AK Party was closed and AK Party would still have the majority.

MILLIYET
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QUESTION ABOUT DINNER WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR
Journalist-writer Mustafa Balbay, who was detained and released later under the Ergenekon probe, has talked about his interrogation. "The prosecutor even asked me about a dinner at the U.S. embassy. There were three other journalists at that dinner. It was not a personal thing," he said.
Balbay added, "I was accused of being a member of the illegal Ergenekon organization and inciting people to uprise against the government. Is there any document? These are quite serious accusations."

LAWYERS TO OBJECT TO ARREST OF RETIRED GENERALS
Lawyers of retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon are getting ready to object to arrest of their clients on charges of committing crimes against security of the state and the constitutional order.

OKKIR DIES BEFORE SEEING INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM
Businessman Kuddisi Okkir who was detained on June 20th, 2007 under the Ergenekon probe and released on June 1st, 2008 after getting lung cancer, has died. His wife is getting ready to apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

SABAH
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"THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE ME PRIME MINISTER"
Journalist Mustafa Balbay, who was released by the court in Ergenekon probe, told his memories about Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Commerce Sinan Aygun while they were under custody. Balbay said, "he has politics in his mind."
"I was sitting next to Aygun while waiting for the interrogation. His eyes were closed and he was babbling, 'they are going to make me prime minister, they are going to make me prime minister'. I think he has politics in his mind," Balbay said.

OZKOK SHOULD BE LISTENED
Former military judge Umit Kardas said ex-military chief Hilmi Ozkok was the obstacle for the coup according to diaries logged by former navy commander Ozden Ornek.
"Prosecutors should listen to Ozkok. Ornek should testify about his diaries. Nationalist wing of the military is being cleaned up. Military oks detentions," he said.

VATAN
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LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz, who is carrying out the Ergenekon investigation, has demanded life imprisonment for retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon on charges of establishing and directing a terrorist organization. He claimed that the retired generals were aiming to destroy the Republic of Turkey.

A COMEDY OF SEZER DOCUMENT
It was revealed that the "Ahmet Necdet Sezer document" which was presented as an evidence by the prosecutor carrying out the Ergenekon investigation, was, in fact, a fax message sent by a reader of the Cumhuriyet daily.

FOUR WEAPONS IN ERUYGUR'S OFFICE
Four weapons have been found in the office of retired Gen. Sener Eruygur, chairman of the Kemalist Thought Association who was detained under the Ergenekon probe. It was revealed that three of them were unlicensed. Meanwhile, Eruygur used his right to remain silent during his interrogation at the Security Department since he did not want to give deposition before seeing the indictment.

CUMHURIYET
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RELEASED BEFORE DEATH
Kuddusi Okkir, who was arrested under the Ergenekon probe 13 months ago, died on Sunday. He got cancer in the prison where he entered healthy. He could not be treated for late diagnosis and his family was not notified.
"He was developing projects for SMEs and sharing these projects with the then industry minister. Allegations that he was the sponsor of the Ergenekon organization are funny," his wife Sabriye said.

"I CAN NOT BE LABELED AS TERRORIST"
Ankara representative of our daily Cumhuriyet Mustafa Balbay said several figures, who can never be dreamt of, would be taken under custody if the Ergenekon probe goes on this way.
"Those, who think they have immunity in a glass house and avoid criticizing the government, should be careful. This structure goes to an understanding of either 'you are a follower or a terrorist'," Balbay said.

RADIKAL
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ERUYGUR AND TOLON IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTING MILITARY INTERVENTION
Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon, two retired pashas, are accused of attempting to topple the government or prevent it from fulfilling its duties, and establishing and conducting a terrorist organization. They may be tried, facing life imprisonment. Eruygur, a former gendarmery commander, and Hursit Tolon, a former commander of the first army, were arrested within the scope of "Ergenekon" investigation, and they were sent to Metris Prison in Istanbul. The prosecutor said that they attempted for a military intervention aiming to topple the government under the Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code. The article foresee life imprisonment against this crime.

TURKEY MOURNS
Hasan Dogan, the chairman of the Turkish Football Federation, died of heart attack. He fainted after he spent some time at the Turkish bath. Doctors helped him immediately but he could not be saved. During the Euro 2008 matches, Dogan had said, "my heart cannot bear this (excitement)."

TURKIYE
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TWO PASHAS IN METRIS
Retired generals Hursit Tolon and Sener Eruygur, who were detained under the Ergenekon probe, have been arrested and sent to prison, bringing the total number of arrestees in the operation to 58. They were accused of both setting up and leading an armed organization, and attempting to oust the government.

D-8 IN ISTANBUL
The summit of heads of state and government of the Developing-8 (D-8) countries founded under the leadership of Turkey, will begin in Malaysia. Prior to the summit, foreign ministers of the member states (Turkey, Egypt, Nigeria, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh) met and agreed that Turkey would be the center of the D-8.

ZAMAN
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REASON FOR ARREST: ESTABLISHING ARMED GANG, ATTEMPTING MILITARY INTERVENTION
Ergenekon investigation gained a new dimension with the recent arrested persons. Retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon are accused of establishing an armed gang, and attempting a military intervention by using violence. Eruygur is accused of establishing and administering a terrorist organization and attempting a military intervention. Hursit Tolon is accused of same crimes, whereas retired general Veli Kucuk has been arrested for being a member of the terrorist organization and provoking an armed rebellion against the government. Workers' Party chairman Dogu Perincek is accused of being a top member of a terrorist organization and hiding secret documents. Also, Sinan Aygun, the chairman of Ankara Chamber of Commerce, will be tried for being a member of Ergenekon terrorist organization and provoking people to an armed rebellion.

SUSPECT OKKIR DIES OF CANCER
Businessman Kuddusi Okkir was released from prison due to his health problems after he spent some time in prison within the scope of the investigation into the Ergenekon terrorist organization. Okkir died on Sunday morning of cancer, and was laid to rest in Yalova.

YENI SAFAK
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COUP ATTEMPT WITH VIOLENCE
Retired generals Hursit Tolon and Sener Eruygur will be on trial for attempting to overthrow the government by using violence and establishing and executing an armed organization.

TRAFFIC BETWEEN PAKSUT, COMEZ AND BAYKAL
Meeting traffic between Osman Paksut, vice-president of the Constitutional Court, and Turhan Comez, former Justice & Development (AK) Party deputy and a suspect in Ergenekon probe, was busier than everybody knew. Paksut and Comez met three times after the case against AK Party was filed and main opposition Republican People's Party leader Deniz Baykal was informed about these meetings.

(BRC-TÇ-UK)