Turkish army detains lieutenant colonel over weapons cache

Turkey's army has detained a lieutenant colonel and launched an enquiry into a weapons cache found in his house during investigations into an alleged coup plot, military headquarters said on Tuesday.

Eighty-six people, including retired army officers, politicians and lawyers, are on trial in the investigation into the "Ergenekon" plot, reported World bulletin.

"The legal investigation regarding the suspect and the seized materials is continuing in all dimensions," the military statement said.

Turkish police were carrying out a series of digs in wasteland around the capital Ankara in a search for weapons linked to the alleged plot. Police discovered 30 hand grenades, nine smoke bombs and hundreds of G-3 rifle bullets buried near a deserted house in an Ankara suburb on Monday.

Semi-automatic weapons, pistols and hand grenades had previously been found in a search of the lieutenant colonel's house.

In a fresh wave of detentions this week, some 40 people including serving army officers were detained in the case.

Turkey's powerful military has unseated governments four times in the past 50 years.