A guide to Sledgehammer in 15 questions (Turkish Sledgehammer case)

quote:

Op zaterdag 21 mei 2011 21:53 schreef Lavenderr het volgende:

[..]

Dat zal best, maar wat kan Nederland daar aan doen? We hebben ook Griekenland al op ons nek, en Portugal en nu Turkije ook nog?

De hoofdverantwoordelijke is de huidige regering onder leiding van Erdogan.
Vreemd genoeg prijst de Turkse en Europese media juist Turkije vanwege zijn zogenaamde economische groei.

quote:

Op maandag 23 mei 2011 22:34 schreef GoudIsEcht het volgende:
Interessante post.

Deze hoort er ook bij: http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/(...)-seksschandaal.dhtml

Turkije moet gepositioneerd worden voor de komende Iran-Pakistan-China dynamiek.

(Pak er maar eens een kaartje bij)

Oppositieleden en iedereen die tegen de huidige regering is, worden al jarenlang illegaal afgeluisterd en videobeelden worden opgenomen van hun slaapkamer d.m.v. camera's die zijn gemonteerd in tv's, stopcontacten, lampen etc!

Echt belangrijke videobeelden worden niet vrijgegeven, maar gebruikt als chantagemiddel tegen het leger, oppositieleiders, schrijvers,journalisten, acteurs en zelfs tegen hun eigen mannen etc.

Het zijn door de cia opgeleide Turkse gladio leden. Vooral oude 'grijze wolven' die overgestapt zijn naar de Fetullah Gulen sekte. Het leger, politie en geheime inlichtingsdiensten zijn geïnfiltreerd door die sekteleden. ( meer info over die sekte: deel1 en deel 2).

Gewone mensen in Turkije durven niet meer via de telefoon te spreken met naasten/geliefden.
Zelfs vrijen doen ze nu onder dekens!

State of fear!!! (Politiestaat)

Weer een interessant artikel van Harvard University professor Dani Rodrik:

ERGENEKON AND
SLEDGEHAMMER(CASES):
BUILDING OR UNDERMINING
THE RULE OF LAW?

http://cdogangercekler.fi(...)of-law-in-turkey.pdf

"De auteur betoogt dat de Ergenekon en Sledgehammer
processen zijn ontsierd door ernstige schendingen van een eerlijk proces en het gebruik
van zeer problematisch bewijs tegen verdachten. Pro-regeringsgezinde media
heeft het debat in Turkije gemanipuleerd en openbare aanklagers hebben gehandeld in
manieren die sterk in strijd zijn met de Europese wettelijke normen.
Deze gevallen zullen, zo betoogt hij, de Turkse rechterlijke macht in diskrediet brengen en het democratiseringsproces van de Turkse politiek hinderen".

Operation Turkey - Fighting the censorship taking place in Turkey

Merhaba Türkiye,

Over the last few years, we have seen how the Turkish government has tightened its grip on the internet. It has blocked thousands of websites and blogs while abusive legal proceedings against online journalists persist. The government now wants to impose a new filtering system on the 22nd of August that will make it possible to keep records of all the people's internet activity. Though it remains opaque why and how the system will be put in place, it is clear that the government is taking censorship to the next level.



These acts are inexcusable. Accessing and participating in the free flow of information is a basic human right. Anonymous will not stand by while the Turkish government violates this right. We will bring our support to circumvent censorship and retaliate against organizations imposing censorship.



Hundreds of thousands of people protested against internet censorship decisions but AKP government ignored the voice of the people and violently oppressed the protesters.



We call on all internet citizens to support freedom of speech by pushing the Turkish government to stop these foolish policies. The free flow of information won’t be stopped. Sharing of knowledge won’t be stopped. It is time to fight for our rights and stand up for what we believe in.



More information: http://tinyurl.com/5vd4f9p



Join us in the IRC channel to discuss what we can do to liberate the internet: http://chat.mibbit.com/?server=194.8.74.43&channel=%23opTurkey



(server: irc.anonops.li, channel #opturkey)



We are Anonymous.

We are Legion.

We do not Forgive.

We do not Forget.

Expect us.

http://anonnews.org/?p=press&a=item&i=1005

F O R E N S I C L A B O R A T O R Y R E P O R T:
Grant R. Sperry
Forensic Document Examiner

Forensic Examinations of text depicted on CD-Roms

EXHIBITS:
Q-1 Image (jpg) of a Compact Disc (CD-Rom), TDK CD-R74, lettered C-11, and depicting the questioned text 'Or.K.na'. (Received as jpg image attachment to email)


Q-2 Image (jpg) of a Compact Disc (CD-Rom), TDK CD-R74, lettered C-17, and depicting the questioned text 'K.ozel'. (Received as jpg image attachment to email)



K-1(1-13) Submitted notebook pages (office machine copies) depicting hand printed entries, further identified by the following exhibit/numerical designations:
K-1-1: 1502 K-1-2: 1503 K-1-3: 1504
K-1-4: 1506 K-1-5: 1510 K-1-6: 1511
K-1-7: 1512 K-1-8: 1513 K-1-9: 1514
K-1-10:1517 K-1-11:1518 K-1-12:1519
K-1-13:1520

PROBLEM
Determine whether or not the questioned 'Or.K.na' and 'K.ozel' entries on Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2, respectively, originated from the writer(s) of Exhibit K-1(1-13).
Determine whether or not the questioned 'Or.K.na' text reflected on Exhibit Q-1 and the 'K.ozel' text reflected on Exhibit Q-2 were handwritten or machine produced.

EXAMINATION FINDINGS
Examinations of the questioned text on Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2 revealed features and characteristics of a blue ink writing instrument. The discernible characteristics within images of the questioned text are inconsistent with inkjet and laser (toner) technology.

Examinations and inter-comparisons of the voluminous text within Exhibit K-1 were conducted to assess feature characteristics and variances. Notable similarities in form and structure are evident between the questioned text on Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2, and the submitted writings within Exhibit K-1.

Utilizing industry standard measurements for CD-Rom discs (4.72" in diameter) the CD images depicted in Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2 were normalized to scale. The absolute size of the comparable letters on Exhibits Q-1/Q-2 and K-1 are nearly identical when office machine copy variables are considered. Based on unusually precise (near 1:1) similarity in detail evident between text on Exhibits K-1 and Q-1/Q-2, additional examinations and comparisons were warranted. Side by side and superimposition comparisons were conducted digitally between letters/letter combinations on Exhibits K-1 and Q-1 and Q-2. Relatively precise superimposition of all facets of specific letter combinations exist between hand printed text on Exhibit K-1 and that within the questioned hand printed entries on Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2.

Examinations and comparisons of the questioned text reflected in the images of Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2, with respect to the line quality of the writing and discernible ink characteristic, were conducted. The questioned text depicted on Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2 bear characteristics of a writing instrument utilizing a low viscosity blue ink and depicting line characteristics which are consistent with both handwritten and autopen (‘signature’ machine) production.

CONCLUSION
It is highly probable the questioned ‘Or. K.na’ and ‘K.ozel’ entries were created from Exhibit K-1 utilizing the following process or variation of this process:
•Letters and letter combinations within the notebook pages designated K-1(1, 2 and 5) were selected for replication.
•The lettering selected was photographed or digitally imaged.
•The lettering was cropped and configured to form the entries ‘Or.K.na’ and ‘K.ozel’.
•From the ‘Or.K.na’ and ‘K.ozel’ composite images a template (e.g. guide, stencil, matrix) was created for use by a signature machine.
•A signature machine (e.g. autopen) was then used to follow the outline of the template, thereby creating the ‘Or.K.na’ and ‘K.ozel’ entries on the CD-discs depicted in Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2.

The questioned text on Exhibits Q-1/Q-2 bear features and characteristics which have been observed in mechanically produced (e.g. autopen) writings.

REMARKS
If trial or deposition testimony is required in support of these findings and conclusion(s), a minimum of six weeks prior notification is required.
Illustrative images in support of the preceding conclusions are attached.

EVIDENCE DISPOSITION
Exhibits Q-1 and Q-2 were received via email attachment on May 7, 2011. Exhibit K-1 was received from your office via UPS on May 20, 2011. All exhibits are retained pending disposition instructions.

Bron: http://cdogangercekler.fi(...)lizce_02-06-2011.pdf

24 Juni 2011

This should be a mistrial. It’s as simple as that.

That is the conclusion of Claire Berlinski, an American author and journalist based in Istanbul, on the Balyoz/Sledgehammer trial.

Berlinski, who has been following the case, visited the trial in Silivri and her judgment is clear-cut. She considers how the case would be handled in an American (or any impartial) court and imagines the dialogue that would/should take place:

Your honor, this hospital didn’t exist in 2003. We request this trial be dismissed.

Dismissed.

Alas, the trial in Silivri has all the appearances of a sham, staged trial. Over the course of more than thirty court sessions, the defendants and their lawyers have documented countless evidence that points to the coup plans’ fraudulent nature — anachronisms, inconsistencies, fake handwriting – to no avail. The judges evince no interest in any of it. Amazingly (but tellingly), in their cross-examination they have not challenged the defendants on their claim that the coup documents are fabricated. Nor have they even probed these claims by further questioning.

It’s almost as if everyone agrees the case is based on fake evidence. A Berlinski puts it, “no one is even pretending anymore that this is a real trial with real rules.”

Yet the case continues: its scope has been broadened by further arrests – presumably to drag the trial on for even a longer time — and the great majority of the defendants remain in jail.

http://cdogangercekler.wo(...)s-as-simple-as-that/

30 Juni 2011

Caution: Sham trial in process

(The following is taken from Dani Rodrik’s blog.)

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.

http://cdogangercekler.wo(...)am-trial-in-process/