Turkey's military investigates new plot report

By Ibon Villelabeitia

ANKARA (Reuters) - The Turkish military said on Tuesday it was investigating reports detailing a suspected army plan to discredit the ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party, which have stirred political tensions and unnerved markets.

The alleged plot was first unveiled in June by liberal newspaper Taraf, which said it had obtained a photocopy of an army document detailing a suspected plan to stop the AK Party and a religious movement from destroying Turkey's secular order and replacing it by an Islamist state.

The military, which has clashed with the government in the past over the direction of the predominantly Moslem country, ruled at the time after conducting an investigation that the document was forged and called it part of a smear campaign.

The military, which has ousted four governments in 50 years, said it had opened a new investigation after Turkish media reported that an unnamed officer had sent the original document of the suspected plot to a prosecutor.

"For a detailed research of the issues included in the scope of the military judiciary, it was ordered that an investigation take place," the general staff said.

The armed forces are committted "in words and deeds to the rule of law," it added.

The notion of coups will likely add to arguments of those in Europe who say Turkey is unsuited for membership of the European Union.

The EU wants Ankara to push reforms aimed at meeting membership criteria, including limiting the power of the military, which regards itself as the ultimate guardian of secular values against what it sees as Islamist threats.