Cyprus-Forum.com

[paliometoxo]

By Alexia Saoulli

A TURKISH trade union leader with property in the occupied areas and close ties to former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has been arrested in Turkey in connection with the controversial Ergenekon probe.

Mustafa Ozebek, chairman of Metal Sen trade union, and three of his deputies were arrested on suspicion of being the financial backers of the Ergenekon organisation. Ozbek was also one of the main supporters of rallies against the Annan plan in 2004.

According to Turkish Cypriot daily, Star Kibris, Ozbek also owns a lot of property in the occupied areas and was a close friend of Denktash.

The Turkish Cypriot press also questioned whether an Ergenekon operation had been planned for Cyprus and wondered why although Ozbek’s properties in Ankara had been searched no one had searched the properties he owned in the north, including a £4 million villa.

In fact according to Turkish daily Sabah, Ozbek owns extensive property in the occupied areas.

Ozbek was among 26 people, including army and police officers, detained in simultaneous operations across Turkey on Thursday. Erhan Goksel, the chairman of Verso Center of Political Research, and Unal Inanc, a journalist specialising in judicial affairs, were also detained.

On Friday night a Turkish court formally arrested and remanded in custody three lieutenants for an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

The case, which divided Turkey, was filed against more than 80 people on the charge of forming an illegal organisation to provoke a series of events that would pave the way for a military coup. However many believe the government use the Ergenekon case as an excuse to suppress its opposition.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009