Turkish army denies secret propaganda campaign

Military tried to sway public in favor of secularism, report says

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s military denied a report yesterday that it had waged a secret propaganda campaign to win public support for its tough stance on secularism and opposition to key policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The liberal newspaper Taraf said the army had launched an action plan in September 2007 that included enlisting the judiciary’s support, holding frequent contacts with the media and reaching out to key figures to influence public opinion in favor of secularism.

It said the plan was set out in an 11-page internal document belonging to the Chief of General Staff’s office, in which the government was accused of being “responsible for reactionary religious movements.”

“There is no such official document or plan approved by commanders and registered by the Chief of General Staff,” the military said in a statement posted on its web page.

“The Turkish Armed Forces, which have a mission to protect the Republic of Turkey forever, are strong enough not to be affected by cheap propaganda of some circles,” it added.

The report comes amid a political crisis in Turkey as the governing AKP fights in court to avert its closure on allegations of Islamist activities and prevent the banning of leading figures from party politics. Political uncertainty has helped to push the stock market down by nearly a third this year.

Though predominantly Muslim, the Turkish Republic was founded as a secular state in 1923, and a powerful elite of military, judicial and academic officials see themselves as the custodians of secularism.

This elite fears the AKP has a hidden Islamist agenda and has been accused of resorting to undemocratic methods to try to remove the party from power. The AKP has its roots in political Islam but is also a reformist, pro-business party that won a sweeping re-election last July.

The military has ousted four governments in the past 50 years, most recently acting – with wide public backing – against a cabinet it deemed too Islamist in 1997.

The Constitutional Court is currently hearing a case brought by the court of appeal chief prosecutor, who has charged the AKP with being a focal point of anti-secular activities.

The prosecutor wants the party closed down and 71 leading political figures, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, banned from party politics for five years.