Sledgehammer trial begins for 196 suspects in coup case with new judge in Turkey

The first hearing in the trial of a suspected military plan to overthrow the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is set to begin at the Istanbul 10th High Criminal Court today, with most of the 196 suspects appearing before the prosecution on charges of a failed attempt to destroy parliament and overthrow the government, Turkish daily Today's Zaman reported.

Some suspects, who cited travel abroad as an excuse, will miss the first hearing. The trial concerns the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) Security Operation Plan, a suspected coup plan devised at a military gathering in 2003 that allegedly sought to undermine the government in order to lay the groundwork for a military takeover.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) removed the presiding judge in the Sledgehammer case - Zafer Baskurt - from the trial and assigned him to a court in Gebze.

The board also removed Erkan Canak - a judge at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court - and assigned him to a court in Sakarya. As the reason, the board cited an earlier Ministry of Justice report about the judges in which the two are accused of close contacts with suspects in the Ergenekon case.

Ergenekon is a shadowy criminal network that is suspected of plotting to topple the government. Dozens of its members, including businessmen, members of the military and journalists, are currently incarcerated while standing trial.