"Ozkok had no ally"

The group's activities gathered momentum after the annual meeting of the Higher Military Council in 2003. Admiral Ozden Ornek who was appointed Chief of the Naval Forces and General Ibrahim Firtina who was named as the new Chief of the Air Force were in favour of taking a hard line and intervening in politics unlike their predecessors (Admiral Alpkaya and General Asparuk), according to the weekly. They formed an alliance with Gendarmery General Commander General Sener Eruygur and Chief of the Ground Forces General Aytac Yalman. The four members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presented a united front against General Ozkok due to personal and ideological reasons.

"A four-phase plan"

First, a coup plan called "Blondie" was drawn up. It was aborted when Annan's peace plan was rejected by Greek Cypriots. Another coup plan consisting of four phases was subsequently devised: "Moonlight 1," "Moonlight 2," Phosphorescence," and "Gloved Fist." Moonlight analysed the current situation while Phosphorescence outlined the organizational structure. Gloved Fist was the name of the coup (Newspapers recently reported a plan allegedly named Gloved Fist). Different phases of the plan was shown in a PowerPoint file reportedly found at Eruygur's office in Fenerbahce Military Guest House).

"Outmanoeuvreing Buyukanit"

According to the weekly, generals who were in favour of intervening in politics were experiencing different problems among themselves. Officers at the headquarters of the General Staff were siding with General Ozkok. General Yasar Buyukanit who was serving as the Commander of the First Army was refusing to give his consent for a coup. General Eruygur would outmanoeuvre Buyukanit and be appointed as the Chief of the Ground Forces and then become the Chief of the General Staff. General Hursit Tolon, then Commander of the Aegean Army, would succeed Eruygur as the Chief of the Ground Forces. Tolon would later become the Chief of the General Staff by following in Eruygur's footsteps. General Fevzi Turkeri who was later appointed Gendarmerie General Commander was another figure regarded as an adversary by the generals supporting the idea of a military takeover who wanted him to be disqualified. One of the influential figures behind the ultimatum issued by the military on 28 February 1997, Turkeri was "too soft" from Eruygur's standpoint. Buyukanit was referred as "Monument" or "The Straits" in the coup plans. General Turkeri, then Commander of the Second Army, was named the "Mountains."

"Information came from the CIA"

The CIA alerted the Turkish intelligence agency through a high-ranking CIA officer in Ankara on 3 February 2004. It said that "a very serious physical attack" would be carried out against General Ozkok. The Intelligence Division of the Federal Police Department headed by Sabri Uzun took necessary actions. Major General Fehmi Buyukbayram, Commander of the Central Garrison of Ankara, changed the route used by General Ozkok and foiled the plan by tightening security.

Source: Vatan website, Istanbul, in Turkish 11 Jul 08

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