« Is China driving the wrong kind of structural change in the U.S.? | Main | The great divergence, the other way around »

June 29, 2011

Caution! Sham trial in process…

A Turkish court accepted a second indictment yesterday in the infamous Sledgehammer case, adding 28 new names to the 195 officers already under indictment (most of whom have been jailed).  The new indictment is based on additional (digital) documents, said to reinforce the original charges, which prosecutors have "found" in a naval base and at the home of a retired colonel.

The core allegation remains the same: a group of senior officers prepared an elaborate plot in 2003 to destabilize and topple the newly elected AKP government.  The evidence rests on a set of documents (in Word and other electronic formats) detailing the coup preparations and which the prosecutors say were produced by (and for) the coup perpetrators. 

None of the documents have signatures or other authenticating features.  None have been traced to the computers used by the defendants.  Prosecutors say that the metadata – the names and time stamps on the files – prove the documents' authenticity, even though such metadata can be easily manipulated by altering the system clock and usernames on a computer.

Since the first indictment was produced a year ago, a torrent of evidence has come to light demonstrating beyond any doubt that the Sledgehammer plot is fictional and that the coup documents are fabricated.  Most importantly, the documents – both the initial batch and the more recent ones -- contain irrefutable anachronisms that prove they were produced not in 2003, as the prosecution maintains, but in 2009 at the earliest.       

Documents that appear to have been prepared in 2003 (judging by their metadata) make references to military units, hospitals, NGOs, and companies that did not exist until years later.  They name a gunboat that had not yet been commissioned and a license plate that was yet to be issued.  They place many individuals at positions they had yet to occupy.  One document (also supposedly from 2003) contains the number and exact text of a 2005 amendment to a law, together with the precise date of the amendment! 

There are countless such anachronisms and inconsistencies in the Sledgehammer documents.  In addition, two forensic reports commissioned by the defendants (one of which is from a U.S. expert) have independently verified that the handwriting on the disputed CDs is most likely the product of mechanically copying individual letters from an original source.  The alleged authors of several of the documents have documented that they were posted abroad or on ships with no access to the computers on which they are supposed to have prepared them. The list of problems with the prosecutors' evidence goes on and on.

Astonishingly, the second indictment is completely silent about all this.  There is not a single word about the anachronisms, even though they have been widely discussed in the media and repeatedly brought up by the defendants in court.  There is not the slightest effort to account for how information from 2008 or 2009 could have found its way into documents allegedly written in 2003.  Even though several forensic reports have spelled out what every teenager already knows, namely that the dates on digital files can be easily altered, prosecutors continue to take the metadata on faith (and as their proof of the coup documents' authenticity).

To anyone who has closely followed the Sledgehammer and the related Ergenekon trials, none of this would come as a surprise. These trials suffer from gross violations of the rule of law and have all the markings of staged events. Most disturbingly, the cases multiply and broaden (with increasing numbers kept in jail) despite clear evidence that the charges don't hold water.

The manner in which court sessions unfold is also telling. The Sledgehammer defendants' repeated documentation of the anachronisms and other inconsistencies of the coup documents has been met by stony silence during cross-examination, remaining unprobed and unchallenged by the prosecutors and judges. The objective seems to ensure the trials go on indefinitely, providing continuing fodder for the government's and Gulenists' campaign against their opponents. (For the human toll of the trial, see Claire Berlinski's excellent account.)

"They pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work." So went the old joke in the Soviet Union.  In today's Turkey, prosecutors pretend to investigate crimes, courts pretend to dispense justice, and the AKP government pretends to respect judiciary independence. Since it is now military officers who are in the dock, many commentators think all this makes Turkey more democratic.

Posted at 08:22 PM |

Comments

Account Deleted

Why are you rulling out the possibility that they've came back from the future? Since the metadata prove that the documents are authentich, than we must conclude that somehow they can travel back and forth into the future.

Posted by: Account Deleted | June 30, 2011 at 09:13 AM

Natia Natsvlishvili

Just curious why would the government fabricate the case? There must be a very solid reason for doing this. Although, many other countries also allegedly often do the same (an interesting reference from today: http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23717). Yet it is surprising from the country aspiring to join the EU (or maybe not? )

Posted by: Natia Natsvlishvili | July 07, 2011 at 03:57 PM

Steve Davidson

163 of the defendants have been ordered detained by the court.
Apart from two defendants who are being treated in hospitals and several who are on foreign
duty, all of them are in jail at the Silivri or Hasdal prisons.
All of the judges who had previously ruled in favor of releasing the defendants over the course
of the Sledgehammer investigation have been removed and appointed to other parts of the
judiciary.
Two of the prosecutors who prepared the Sledgehammer Indictment (disregarding all the evidence of fabrication) were recently promoted to seats at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
The defendants have asked the court several times for the digital images and photos of the
fabricated CDs.
The court has refused. Even though photos of the CDs were leaked to a pro‐government
newspaper (Zaman), these photos have not been given to the defense.
The real perpetrators in this case are at large while the officers framed with fake documents
remain in jail.

Experience tells if it looks and waddles like a duck, chances are, it's a duck.....Doesn't this sound like a fabrication???

http://www.cynergysoftware.com

Posted by: Steve Davidson | July 14, 2011 at 04:17 PM

Account Deleted

Thanks for sharing.

raf

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 15, 2011 at 07:13 AM

Account Deleted

Great article. One of the best blogs I've ever seen. credit after bankruptcy

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 17, 2011 at 05:00 AM

Mbtmbtshoes

To my knowledge, the social public opinion for the domestic education problem degree of concern in the history of more than any time,
http://www.cheapuggbootsuksale.co.uk/

Posted by: Mbtmbtshoes | July 18, 2011 at 09:31 PM

Account Deleted

What about the differences in skill intensities across industries? The job losses in the relatively unskilled-labor intensive battery industry should have little effect on the relatively skilled-labor intensive machinery
sexshop online

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 19, 2011 at 03:20 PM

Account Deleted

Thanks for sharing your article. I really enjoyed it. I put a link to my site to here so other people can read it
sexyshop

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 19, 2011 at 03:21 PM

Account Deleted

What about the differences in skill intensities across industries? The job losses in the relatively unskilled-labor intensive battery industry should have little effect on the relatively skilled-labor intensive machinery
sexshop online

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 19, 2011 at 03:21 PM

Mbtmbtshoes

April 21,, hu shi and SongZiWen Morgan harp appointment. Talks are not the previous relatively relaxed atmosphere,
http://www.cheapuggsaleuk.co.uk/

Posted by: Mbtmbtshoes | July 22, 2011 at 09:45 PM

Account Deleted

Nice article,have a good lesson here.But you can teach more from here:
oakley sunglasses outlet

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 27, 2011 at 09:34 AM

Account Deleted

From there Ujiri went to Montana State, mbt shoes on sale though he left early for a six-year pro career with B-level teams throughout Europe.

Posted by: Account Deleted | July 29, 2011 at 05:02 AM

Gwormd

I have been utilizing android for around three months now. I feel its the most beneficial os I have actually utilized. Skin Ringworm

Posted by: Gwormd | September 05, 2011 at 11:25 AM

zkrjumam

I normally encounter your blogs, mainly because these inspire everybody. thanks for you work to write this Cured Chronic Tinnitus

Posted by: zkrjumam | September 12, 2011 at 03:21 PM

Account Deleted

Good stuff, interesting to read the comments. Thank you, it's very interestingly. I wish you all the best. femmes seules

Posted by: Account Deleted | September 14, 2011 at 05:53 AM

Kidneyr

Conservatives could possibly have loved his racist streak and developed him Cure for Urticaria

Posted by: Kidneyr | September 14, 2011 at 12:04 PM

Vin Ke

Why not spend your time reading a news paper and finding the grammatical errors, maybe they will care more... oilseed press

Posted by: Vin Ke | October 19, 2011 at 10:06 PM

Vin Ke

I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. very nice post, i certainly love this website, keep checking for new information. vegetable oil press

Posted by: Vin Ke | October 27, 2011 at 01:21 AM

Aleclihong

Osseointegration has enhanced the science of medical bone, and joint replacement techniques. Moncler

Posted by: Aleclihong | November 19, 2011 at 03:20 AM

Lifenzhu

http://bit.ly/ubAjYJ
For the album's delay, in place of it is a digital EP, Truant Wave, containing six songs, three of which he collaborated with other artists, released on February 22, 2011 on iTunes.

Posted by: Lifenzhu | November 19, 2011 at 04:45 AM

Account Deleted

I have somewhat of an issue with this statement. There are lots of people in the service sector that are making very good wages. Are we talking about HVAC mechanics, electricians,etc; or customer service agents working for IT companies etc; ??? Ugg Støvler

Posted by: Account Deleted | November 19, 2011 at 04:57 AM

Lily Yago

Your writing skills are really emaculate, I wish I was half as good as you.

http://cheapnikefree2buyr.com
Mulberry factory shop

Posted by: Lily Yago | March 13, 2012 at 03:08 AM

Vin Ke

I like to think the easiest path to think is to multiply on solid convictions rather than divide your practices with new thinking. One way prospers the other goes infinitely into nothing.Complete Wood Pellet Mill

Posted by: Vin Ke | March 14, 2012 at 01:37 AM

Vin Ke

Some job roles seem to be destined for success, while others have been occupied by failures. homemade pellet machines

Posted by: Vin Ke | March 20, 2012 at 08:27 PM

Vin Ke

The correct approach is to get in touch through your network with people that will have some interest in figuring out who you are. pellet mill chipper

Posted by: Vin Ke | May 11, 2012 at 04:24 AM

buy-sneaker-online

Great article. Thanks for sharing information with us, this blog is very interesting,Thank you, Enjoy watcing my website. really nice. You should be the Economic Minister. Thanks for writing, this and the New Yorker piece have been very informative, thank you.
Adidas Jeremy Scott
http://www.buy-sneaker-online.com

Posted by: buy-sneaker-online | May 29, 2012 at 07:48 PM

Account Deleted


Awesome, Very interesting issue that after a very successful. Nicely written article good work ! Thanks for the great piece of sharing. Enjoy to read your write . Thanks a lot
Creating History Together With ArenaBetting Piala Eropa 2012 http://seotoolinfo.com/2012/06/creating-history-creating-history-together-with-arenabetting-piala-eropa-2012/
Agenliga Sebagai Agen Bola Online Untuk Euro 2012 http://seotoolinfo.com/2012/06/agenliga-agenliga-com-sebagai-agen-bola-online-untuk-euro-2012/

Posted by: Account Deleted | June 30, 2012 at 01:48 PM

Blueskyl


Les gens veulent être populaires. Louis Vuitton Chaussure veulent peut-être une célébrité ou d'être plus populaire de l'école. Cela leur permettra de se sentir appréciée et admirée. Par exemple, vous pourriez permettre aux gens de soumettre des articles ou des commentaires à votre site Web que vous publierez pour le monde de voir. Vous pouvez également publier des profils ou des entrevues avec des visiteurs de votre site web.

Posted by: Blueskyl | July 16, 2012 at 08:33 AM

D

Your blog make me learn a lot! meet russian girls

Posted by: D | November 06, 2012 at 09:55 PM

The comments to this entry are closed.