| Since the start of the Ergenekon investigation in July 2007, hand grenades, explosives, light anti-tank weapons (LAW), rocket launchers, Kalashnikov rifles, assault rifles, thousands of bullets and various other munitions have been discovered in secret depots or buried underground in various cities, including Eskişehir, Ankara and İstanbul. The latest discovery came when caches of arms were uncovered last week in İstanbul’s Poyrazköy area during excavations to uncover more ammunition and weapons as part of the Ergenekon investigation. Claims emerged that these weapons and munitions were taken out of the arms depots of the TSK. Başbuğ, however, strongly denied the claims yesterday, saying that the TSK does not even have the slightest relation with the weapons and munitions discovered, adding that it has not buried any munitions underground since 1986, when a General Staff decision banned such practices. “We started to move our weapons and munitions buried under the ground to arms depots in 1986 and completed the task in 1999. The TSK has no arms caches buried underground,” he remarked.  Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ held a press conference yesterday, discussing the hidden stockpiles of munitions that have been discovered during the course of the Ergenekon investigation. | Başbuğ also stressed that security forces unearthed five already-used LAWs during the excavations in Poyrazköy. “What would anyone do with used LAWs? No LAW or any other munition can be reused once it is used. So, who buried these used LAWs in the ground? Why did they do so? We are also wondering,” he said, but did not, however, comment on around 20 ready-to-use LAWs discovered during other excavations. TSK’s position on Ergenekon probe Following an explanation on the munitions unearthed, the chief of general staff responded to various questions directed by members of the press who attended the briefing. The questions asked largely dealt with the ongoing Ergenekon probe and retired and active duty military members who have been either detained or arrested for suspected links to the clandestine group. When asked what members of the TSK think about the investigation, Başbuğ expressed the military’s commitment to democracy and the regime. “Among the fundamental values of democracy are the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. Everyone should refrain from any act that may damage our judicial system. The TSK is extremely careful in respecting the rule of law and the judicial process,” he said. However, he criticized press organs for news reports portraying certain TSK members as culprits in the Ergenekon case. “We respect the principle that everyone is innocent until they are found guilty. Does everyone respect this principle? You don’t have the right to declare anyone guilty unless they are found guilty by the court. So who will repair the damage caused to these individuals? And a second point is respect for the confidentiality of the judicial process. Do all of you respect this principle? You see, heavy responsibility falls on the shoulders of press members in this sense,” he noted.  Gen. İlker Başbuğ said yesterday that ammunition and weapons recently unearthed in a number of cities do not belong to the TSK. | No investigation launched into coup plotters Upon a question by a journalist, the chief commander also commented on alleged coup plots by active and retired members of the army. He said there is no individual within the TSK who may be engaged in any act against the democratic regime in the country and dismissed the prospect of a military investigation into individuals who are accused of planning to overthrow the government. Başbuğ was short and to the point when addressing retired Adm. Özden Örnek’s private journal in which the admiral allegedly noted down past plans to stage two military coups. “The General Staff has no documents regarding such claims. Örnek previously stated that the journal does not belong to him,” Başbuğ said. Başbuğ not open to contact with DTP members The chief of general staff stressed that the TSK will not have any contact with members of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) unless the party distances itself from the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and terrorist activity. “The TSK does not aim to protest any political party or group. We will not, however, share the same platform with that party [the DTP] unless they clarify their ties with the terrorist PKK. I am the head of an army, nine members of which were martyred by the terrorist group early this morning. That party cannot distance itself from terrorism,” Başbuğ stated. Nine Turkish soldiers were killed early yesterday morning when a remote-controlled mine exploded in the Lice district of southeastern Diyarbakır province. Başbuğ also denied any link between the TSK and the transfer of Ergenekon suspects to the Gülhane Military Academy of Medicine (GATA), which recently became the subject of harsh criticism for accepting several ex-generals indicted in the Ergenekon trial, solely to save them from being imprisoned during the trial and ultimately to get away with the crimes they allegedly committed. He also added that the military has no plans at the moment for paid military service. General Staff refutes claims on discrimination against Cihan reporter Başbuğ also refuted all claims about an army general who refused to bring a Cihan news agency reporter down from a mountain with a military helicopter in freezing cold weather because the journalist did not have press accreditation from the General Staff. “What we know about the issue is the helicopter in question was carrying TSK equipment and was forbidden to take anything or anyone else on board. And contrary to reports, it was around 13 degrees Celsius when the incident occurred; there was no risk of freezing for any individual. Besides, there were nearly 400 other people on the mountain in addition to the reporter in question, all of whom reached their destination by their own means. A Turkish soldier never leaves anyone in a risky situation,” he said. Başbuğ’s explanation, however, did not satisfy Cihan. Abdülhamit Bilici, Cihan’s general manager, demanded an investigation into the general who had allegedly refused to allow the reporter to board the helicopter. “The explanation by Başbuğ on the issue is very different from how the incident occurred according to our reporter. Our reporter [Lütfi Akyurt] said he was not allowed to board a military helicopter by a general who said they could not carry a civilian. However, a reporter from the Doğan news agency was on board. In any case, we are pleased that the General Staff offered an explanation of the incident,” Bilici told Today’s Zaman. | 
