BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- The Ergenekon probe is getting bigger, like a rolling snowball. Yesterday's news highlighted this.
Prominent public figures were taken into custody: former Board of Higher Education (YOK) Chairman Kemal Guruz, retired generals Tuncer Kilinc and Kemal Yavuz, former General Staff Judicial Counselor ret. Maj. Gen. Erdal Sener, Professor Yalcin Kucuk, and others.
In addition, a police search of former Supreme Court of Appeal Chief Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu's house was a groundbreaking development.
There are two main thrusts of the Ergenekon probe:
Firstly, weapons, bombs, certain documents and information about assassinations were seized by the police during searches of some suspects' houses and offices. These suspects are mostly former security officials and civilians that got involved after their retirement.
The second thrust, high-profile figures known for speeches, articles, books, and TV appearances, and professors as well as retired high-level commanders, are called intellectuals. A common feature of this group is that they are known as nationalists. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal's criticism that the developments were political rather than judicial was mostly pointing to these figures.
The probe will clearly cause political disputes. So Baykal tried to link the ruling party and the case, claiming that the government was pushing the probe.
Another common feature of the people taken into custody is that they are opponents of the current government. The opposition will continue to make criticisms during the trial process.
Through his remarks, directly accusing the premier and the president of knowing about developments long in advance, Baykal claimed a link between the probe and the top level of the state.
As part of these claims, the Ergenekon probe and case will be an important test of the body politic, especially for the government. Baykal's claims, criticisms and accusations are important and serious. The government should respond to these claims.
The Ergenekon case and the ongoing probe are also an important test for the Turkish judiciary.
Taking suspects accused of planning armed attacks together with high-level, high-profile officials in the same probe and case, and accusing them of being members of a terrorist group, also put a foreign spotlight on the Turkish judiciary.
This, at the same time, will be a test for Turkish democracy and the principle of the rule of law.
Our judiciary faces a serious accusation that it has been politicized. This raises the importance and sensitivity of the case and probe.