Ergenekon gang, whose suspected leaders and members are currently in jail pending trial over allegations of attempts to take over the government by force.
The Ergenekon investigation began in July 2007 when a house full of weapons and munitions were found in the Umraniye district of Istanbul. The police investigation resulted in the discovery of a shady gang with links to state agencies and the military that had attempted to create the right atmosphere for a military takeover against a number of governments, and most recently against the Justice and Development Party. Ergenekon is suspected of a number of political murders, including that of a senior judge at a shooting at the Council of State in 2006 and a hand grenade attack on the secularist Cumhuriyet daily. Academics, businessmen, mafia bosses and retired military officials, including former generals, are among the 86 suspects being accused of various gang crimes in the indictment, which was submitted to a court last week.
